QQ Rent-A-Car, Saipan Hardware win in Blue Haus

Six late free throws assured a 79-76 victory for QQ Rent-A-Car over Ashley’s, while Saipan Hardware came away the victor over a feisty NVM team, 51-46, as the Blue Haus Invitational Basketball League continued Monday at the Garapan Basketball Court.

Action picks up tonight at 6:30pm in Garapan when Loving Hand takes on Cargo Express followed by the R-Rebels against Star Water at 8:30pm.

QQ-Rent-A-Car sped off to an early 24-17 lead in the opening 10 minutes thanks to a pair of 3-pointers by Marlon Sison and 7 points from Elgene Mangali. They then stretched it to a 45-35 spread at halftime, as seven different players put a hand in offensively in the second quarter.

Ashely’s center Jack Lizama and forward Randy Mungcal combined for 19 in the first half that helped keep their team in contention, but the team as a whole struggled on defense against the younger QQ speedsters.

QQ hotshot Ichitaro Faisao took the helm after the break and chimed in 9 points to preserve a 59-46 margin heading into the last frame.

Ashley’s trio of Lizama, Mungcal, and Edmark Mendoza jumped on their horses in the payoff period and scuffled out six points apiece in the clutch that gave them a chance to pull off the upset.

However, 7 points from QQ’s Faisao in addition to the aforementioned free throws—the last three coming from Badong Camacho—sealed the deal.

Faisao led all scorers with 22 points, while Lizama managed 19 in the loss for Ashley’s.

The night match started out locked up at 10-all after the opening period before Saipan Hardware sharpened a 22-17 edge at halftime in what turned out to be a highly defensive matchup.

Saipan Hardware’s Errol Peredo paced the group with 10 markers through midpoint, while NVM remained in search of a finding the right group of players to breach their opponents’ security.

Saipan Hardware’s Alex Lauron grabbed the baton and racked up 8 points in a critical third quarter push that put them in front, 38-25, but NVM never laid down in the game and flirted with a fourth quarter comeback.

Preston Basa nailed a couple of 3-pointers, while a number of their opponent’s shots took some bad bounces on the other side, but although a little sloppy, Saipan Hardware held it down in the end.

Peredo led the victors with 16 points, while NVM’s Jawn Joyner and Melvin Manibusan were held to just 8 points apiece.

QQ Rent-A-Car 79 – Faisao 22, Mangali 14, Pagarao 9, Camacho 9, Sison 8, Paraiso 6, Acosta 4, Sablan 3.

Ashley’s 76 – Lizama 19, Mungcal 18, Cortes 10, Abuel 8, Mendoza 7, Norita 5, Inos 4, Manipon 3.

Scoring by quarters: 24-17, 45-35, 59-46, 79-76.

Saipan Hardware 51 – Peredo 16, Lauron 12, Quan 8, Babauta 5, J. Diaz 5, Palacios 3, Z. Diaz 2.

NVM 46 – Joyner 8, Manibusan 8, Basa 6, Cadiang 6, Mendiola 5, Barcinas 4, Ritual 3, Mina 1.

Scoring by quarters: 10-10, 22-17, 38-25, 51-46.