Ol’Aces beat Sonics in early rematch

The defending champion Ol’Aces showed up in sync, downing the Sonics, 52-44, during the opening game in the U19 division of the 19th Annual Saipan Rotary Club Youth Basketball League last Friday night at the TSL Sports Complex.

The early Ol’Aces win foiled the Sonics’ bid for another undefeated record in the regular season. Last year’s runners-up swept their elimination games to win the 2010 pennant before losing to the Ol’Aces in the finals, 65-64.

Last year’s finalists played neck-and-neck in the first half, before Juan Maratita and Saj Hossain teamed up an Ol’Aces breakaway in the third period. The duo combined for 13 points in the third quarter, turning a 23-20 halftime lead to a 38-27 advantage.

The Ol’Aces kept the driver’s seat in the final canto, withstanding their ground against the Sonics’ repeated comeback attempts.

Maratita led alls scorers with 16, while Hossain added 14. Tristan Ecalnea was the Sonics’ lone double figure scorer with 11.

Luther Taylor gave the Ol’Aces a good start, scoring four points in the team’s 15-8 lead in the opening eight minutes.

The Sonics battled back in the second canto and moved within three at the break. The Ol’Aces then regrouped in the second and stuffed the Sonics to just eight points in the third period.

In the second game, 670 Rollers defeated the CK Blazers, 62-51.

The Rollers jumped out to an early 17-8 lead after making a couple of three-pointers. Rollers added two more from behind the arc in the second quarter to stretch the advantage to double digits at halftime, 30-18.

Then Josh Norita delivered six points in the third to secure a 43-31 margin for the Rollers, heading into the final period. In the fourth canto, the Rollers’ defense got the job done in the clutch, limiting the Blazers to mostly free throws in the fourth quarter.

Norita and Lawrence DL Guerrero finished the game with 14 points each, while Brandon Aulerio led the Blazers with 21 markers, 11 of which came from the stripe.
[B] First Game

Ol’Aces 52 [/B]– Maratita 16, Hossain 14, De Leon 5, Devero 5, Dillay 4, Ichihara 4, Taylor 4.
[B] Sonics 44[/B] – Ecalnea 11, Caro 8, Cadiang 5, Aranda 4, Palacios 4, Villanueva 4, Alegre 2, Salas 2, Salem 2, Tudela 2.

670 Rollers 62[/B] – DL Guerrero 12, Jo. Norita 12, Francisco 9, Cenir 7, Taitano 7, Suarez 4, Darag 3, Kwon 2, Diaz 3, Nakayama 2, Rangamar 2.