CNMI basketball teams recover

After sorry loses in the opening day of the 2011 U15 Micronesian Basketball Tournament, CNMI players redeemed themselves in Day 2 of the youth competition at the Palau National Gymnasium last Tuesday.

The CNMI girls team, which dropped its debut against Guam last Monday, 36-86, recovered in Day 2 with an impressive 46-39 victory over Palau—the host’s first team.

The Commonwealth’s cagebelles had a neck-and-neck battle against Palau from start to finish. In the first quarter, the game was tied at 10-all and then at halftime, Palau only had a slim lead, 19-18.

Tables turned in the second half with the CNMI leading by the end of the third frame, 32-29, and the visitors kept the driver’s seat and the win behind the clutch baskets of Jeraldine Castillo. The Marianas High School stalwart led all scorers with 15 points, while Krizandra Gozon chipped in 10.

Palau, which beat its sister team Belau in the opening day of the tournament, 64-18, drew 13 and 12 markers from Diliaur Kumaichi and Mahealani Adelbai, respectively.

In other women’s results, Guam went 2-0 after clobbering Belau, 115-7.

Guam was scheduled to play Palau yesterday in the last day of the round-robin tournament, while the CNMI’s last preliminary assignment was against Belau. The crossover semifinals will be played tonight with the No. 1 team taking on the No. 4 squad for the first finals berth and the No. 2 and 3 teams battling for the second finals seat. A win over Belau will give the CNMI cagebelles the No. 2 spot and a rematch against Palau in the semis.

In the boys division, the CNMI kept its playoffs hopes alive after topping Belau, 86-56. The Commonwealth cagers now have a 1-3 record for fourth place. The Ed Manalili-coached team bowed to Guahan, 41-71, in the morning match before finally breaking into the win column with a 30-point victory over Belau in the afternoon game.

Ethan Manalili and Chris Mizer teamed up in the CNMI’s rout of Belau with the former sizzling for 23 points and the latter tallying 13. Manalili was also the top-scorer in the Commonwealth’s loss to Guahan, firing 12 points. Christopher Cepeda, Jacob Palacios, and Jaymie Canarez chipped in six apiece.

The CNMI boys team was done with its elimination round games and waited for the results of the remaining matches yesterday. Belau (0-3) was scheduled to duel Palau and sister teams Guahan and Guam were also set to collide in the final day of the elimination round. A Palau win will automatically give the CNMI the No. 4 spot in the playoffs. A Belau victory will tie the host’s second team with the CNMI for the last semis ticket. Guam (3-0), Palau (2-1), and Guahan (2-1) are already assured of semis slots.