Dolphins slip past Rays in MISO caging opener

Marianas High School opened its campaign in the junior varsity division of the 2008 Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization High School Basketball League with a pulsating 62-59 victory against Kagman High School yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Several errors and missed free throws from the Ayuyus in the closing seconds of the game helped the Dolphins preserve the win.

The Ayuyus threatened the Dolphins for the last time, cutting the lead to two, 59-61, after a triple from Kroy Ogo. Kagman had the chance to tie the game, but Jester Kaipat muffed his two free thows.

Juan Maratita grabbed he offensive rebound giving the Ayuyus another opportunity to force a deadlock. But he lost the ball, as he was sandwiched by the Dolphins’ Brandon Aurelio and Lawrence Deleon Guerrero.

Aurelio took the spheroid and sprinted to their frontcourt, but his fastbreak layup fell short.

There was a scramble for the loose ball with Ogo diving for it, but failed to established his position and was called for a traveling violation.

Kagman sued for time in the last 14.1 seconds of the game with MHS getting ball possession back.

The Dolphins inbounded the ball and Aurelio found Eddie Manalili inside the paint with the latter missing his shot, but getting a foul from Ichirato Faisao.

Manalili missed his first free throw, but canned an insurance basket, making his second charity to give MHS a 62-59, lead with 6.1 second remaining on the clock.

Anthony Salas inbounded the ball from the baseline and threw a pitch to Maratita, who was near the left sideline of the Ayuyus’ frontcourt. But Maratita failed to catch the ball, as Salas’ pitch past the sideline, returning the possession to MHS and sealing the doom for the Ayuyus.

The Dolphins had a good start in the league opener, taking a 15-7 lead and hung on to the lead at halftime, 25-21.

Kagman caught up with MHS in the third period behind Faisao and Dominic Reyes, tying the game at 41-all.

Both teams started the fourth period with errors, until successive free throws from Nino Feria give MHS a 58-52 lead, going into the last three minutes of the game. Feria went 6-for-8 from the free throw line in the fourth period, but his impressive performance from the 15-foot line was almost put into waste when Kagman made a run in the last two minutes of the match.

The Ayuyus finished runner-up to Saipan Southern High School last year, losing in the one game finals, 102-115. The Dolphins placed third, beating Mt. Carmel School in the battle for third place.

The Manta Rays will begin their title defense on Wednesday against the Knights.

MHS 62 – Aurelio 17, Feria 10, Manalili 9, Ambalan 5, Deleon Guerero 4, Hidalgo 2, Sarmiento 2, Sula 2.

KHS 59 – Reyes 13, Faisao 11, Maratita 10, Babauta 9, Kaipat 4, Ogo 3, Mettao 1, Salas 1.

Scoring by quarters: 15-7, 25-21, 41-all, 62-59.

Referees: Arnold Mesa and Connie Camacho.