Crusaders dominate RBC Easter caging

Guam’s Barrigada Crusaders ruled the RBC Easter Basketball Invitational Tournament, topping two of three divisions in the three-day caging held at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

Crusaders’ 14-and-under team walloped Saipan-based Sixers in the finals Saturday, 76-59, for the visitors first title of the day. In the 17-and-under division finals, Crusaders had a tougher time, as they needed two overtimes to thwart the Ayuyus, 64-61.

Sammy Setik led Crusaders’ title-clincher win in the 14-and-under division, firing 20 pints. Three other Crusaders players scored in double figures to lift the team to a lopsided victory. Luis Cabral chipped in 15, while Samuel Sotelo and Francis Java contributed 14 and 12 markers, respectively.

The quartet teamed up in Crusaders’ first-half breakaway. Cabral nailed eight, Java and Sotelo added six, and Setik drilled five to give Crusaders a 29-16 halftime lead.

After making only a fieldgoal in the first three minutes of the second half, Setik had a strong finish, tallying 13 more points to lift Crusaders to an easy win.

Roxanne Duenas led the Sixers’ losing cause with her 20 points. Nevin Salem was the only other Sixers player to score in double figures with 17.

Three teams battled for the 14-and-under crown with host Rollers failing to advance to the title match after losing two games in the elimination round and bowing to the Sixers in the playoff match.

Four teams competed for the 17-and-under title with the Ayuyus winning over Rollers in the first elimination game and Crusaders downing Sixers in the second match on Thursday.

The Ayuyus and Crusaders dueled for the first finals ticket on Friday with the latter winning to advance to the title game Saturday. The Ayuyus were relegated to the loser’s bracket and had to beat the Sixers in the other semis game to earn a rematch with Crusaders.

The title game between the Ayuyus and Crusaders was a neck-and-neck battle and ended in a tie after 40 minutes of play, 54-all.

Both teams struggled in the first extension period with only Juan Iguel making a basket for the Ayuyus and Anthony Asuncion also canning a two-pointer for Crusaders to send the game into another overtime.

Back-to-back baskets from Eric Santos, three charities from Asuncion, and one free throw from Bryan Sigua secured the championship for Crusaders.

Iguel was without a fieldgoal in second overtime, making only three charities, while Ryan Lisua gave the Ayuyus their lone fieldgoal in the second extension.

Iguel led all scorers with 26 points, while Juan Maratita chipped in 14 for the Ayuyus, but was scoreless in two overtimes.

Santos paced Crusaders with 25 markers, while Sigua finished with 14. Asuncion scored nine, nailing five of them in the two overtime periods.

Rollers Basketball Club organized the Easter caging, which drew support from Bank of Saipan, Advance X-Terminator, Hertz Rent A Car, and Saipan Shipping.

U14 Finals
Crusaders 76 – Setik 20, Cabral 15, Sotelo 14, Java 12, Oshiro 7, A. Manglona 2, Javellana 1.

Sixers 59 – Duenas 20, Salem 17, Escalada 6, Villanueva 5, Cenir 2, De Guzman 2.

Scoring by halves: 29-16, 76-59

U17 Finals

Crusaders 64 – Santos 25, Sigua 14, Asuncion 9, McCarrel 4, Gaitan 3, Villagomez 3, Chargualaf 2.

Ayuyus 61 – J. Iguel 26, Maratita 13, Lisua 9, Kaipat 7, Brel 5.

Scoring by halves: 25-25, 54-54, 56-56 (1st OT), 64-61 (2nd OT)