Junior Nationals complete back-to-back

The CNMI Junior Nationals successfully defended their title in the 2008 Saipan Rotary Club Youth Basketball League after outclassing Rollers I, 70-52, in last night’s championship match at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The Junior Nationals controlled the game early with Jericho Cruz and Marvin Rabauliman leading the team’s offense.

Cruz had 11 first-half points, while Rabauliman scored eight straight markers at one point in the first half.

The Junior Nationals had their biggest lead in the first half at the 25-9 tally, with less than eight minutes left in the first half.

The Junior Nationals’ defense held Rollers I to only three field goals in the first 12 minutes of the match. Coach Rufino Aguon’s wards put on a scrambling defense against Rollers I, going after players dribbling the ball and making sure they don’t have a good look at the basket.

Often times, Rollers I was forced to move the ball around too much, leaving the team little time or no time at all to set up its offense.

Rollers I struggled against the Junior Nationals defense as the former could not even score in double figures past the halfway mark of the first half.

Rollers I finally scored in double figures on a Wens Namelo jumper, but the Junior Nationals still were way head, 27-11, going into the last four minutes of the first half.

The Junior Nationals loosened up a bit on defense in the remaining minutes of the first half allowing Rollers I to pick up the scoring and cut the lead to 11 at halftime, 19-30.

The Junior Nationals played with only six players and despite putting up tough defense against the Rollers I, the former committed only five fouls.

At the start of the second half, Rollers I had difficulty finding its targets anew, while Rabauliman and Cruz started that period with a 10-0 run to break the game wide open, 40-19.

The Junior Nationals slowly increased the lead in the ensuing plays, making several layups and fastbreak baskets.

Brando Aurelio, who did not play in the first half, began to hit from beyond the arc in the second half, but even his three triples could not bail Rollers I out of a trouble.

The Junior Nationals continued to dominate Rollers I in the second half and had their biggest lead at 65-41, on a fastbreak play by Rabauliman, going into the last four minutes of the match.

Rabauliman top-scored for the Junior Nationals with 21 points, while Cruz finished with 20 markers. Moses and Joseph White also scored in double figures adding 16 and 11 markers, respectively.

Aurelio paced the Rollers I with 13 points. Don Teregeyo chipped in 12 points, but he had only four points in the second half and made those baskets when the game was already decided.

Manny Matagolai, who was later named scoring champion, was held to eight points. He was without a field goal in the first half making only three free throws and scored his two baskets in the closing minutes of the match when the Junior Nationals had already secured the win.

The Junior Nationals won last year’s title over the Southern Sonics, 98-91.

Rollers I failed to reclaim its lost crown after ruling the 18-and-under tournament in 2006. The Rollers I lost to the Junior Nationals in the 2007 semifinals.

In the battle for third place, the San Antonio Sixers defeated the G-Stars, 65-54.
[B] CNMI Junior Nationals 70[/B]—Rabauliman 21, Cruz 10, Moses 16, White 11, Williams 2.
[B] Rollers I 52[/B]—Aurelio 13, Teregeyo 12, Matagolai 8, E. Camacho 5, Hambrose 4, Danas 4, Deleon Guerrero 3, Namelo 2, Ogarto 2, A. Camacho 1.
[B] Scoring by halves:[/B] 30-19, 70-52.