Knights snap skid in MISO caging

Mt. Carmel School started the second round of the regular season of the 2008-2009 Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization Basketball League on a winning note, slipping past the Marianas High School, 59-57, Wednesday night at the MHS Gymnasium.

The Knights dropped all three games in the first round, including a humiliating 44-77 loss to the Dolphins. But the Knights came out more prepared in their rematch and pulled off an upset behind crucial baskets by Bela Baka and Ming Seung Kim and two defensive stops from Matt Igitol.

The Dolphins led for the last time, 57-55, after Nino Feria made an inside basket off a drop pass from Norman Chan, with less than a minute left in the game.

Feria and Chan repeated the same play after a MCS miss, but this time the former missed. The Knights got the rebound and Kim sprinted to their frontcourt, but muffed his layup.

The Dolphins collared the rebound and it was their turn to go for a fastbreak play, but Aaron Liberito’s layup was blocked by the backboard.

The Knights secured the offensive rebound and had Baka running coast to coast and side-stepping against Chan, who stood his ground hoping to get an offensive foul. But Baka wisely moved from left to right for a banked shot to tie the game at 57-all, with 28 seconds on the clock.

Another MHS miss brought the ball back to Mt. Carmel, who had a chance to grab the lead when Kim was fouled by Jack Crisostomo on his way to the basket.

Kim’s first charity was too strong, but the second hit nothing but the bottom of the net giving the Knights a 58-57 lead, with 14.9 left in the game.

Feria had the opportunity to bring MHS back in front when he drove to the middle and was fouled by Henry Han. It was a bad foul for the Knights, as they only had three fouls prior to Feria’s attempt and could have given up a foul while the Dolphins were not in the act of shooting.

Han fouled out and Igitol replaced him.

Feria who went 0-for-2 in his previous trip to the free-throw area, missed both charities, anew. His second attempt was too strong forcing rebounders to scramble for the long rebound.

Brandon Aurelio picked up the ball near their bench and drove to the baseline. But Igitol stuck to him and Aurelio lost the ball.

MHS made another error when Feria fouled Baka away from the play as the two tried to position themselves for the inbound play.

Baka trooped to the foul line, missed the first, but made the second one, giving MCS a two-point lead, 59-57, with 3.1 seconds left in the game.

Liberito pulled up for the final shot, but his 3-point attempt was partially blocked by Igitol as time expired.
[B] MCS 59[/B] – Kim 17, B. Baka 15, Salas 8, Igitol 6, Yoon 5, Sanchez 2, G. Baka 2, Han 2, Babauta 2.
[B] MHS 57[/B] – Feria 20, Manalili 10, Chan 7, Hidalgo 6, Deleon Guerrero 6, Sarmiento 2, Liberito.
[B] Scoring by quarters:[/B] 11-12, 25-all, 40-43, 59-57.