Tinian, Rollers A blow out opponents

Tinian and the Rollers A cruised to victories in the U18 division of the 2014 BANMI Youth League last week at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The Rollers A demolished the CNMI Girls Nationals, 86-36, last Thursday, while Tinian pounded DYS last Friday, 65-37. Tinian now has a 2-0 record for the solo first place in the nine-team field, dislodging DYS from the top spot, as the latter dropped to a 2-1 record. The Rollers A gained its first win after losing its debut, while the Girls Nationals fell to a 0-2 card. KFC (1-0), Dough Boys (1-0), Chalan Kanoa Saints (0-1), Rollers B (0-1), and the Ol’Aces (0-1) complete the U18 field.

Tinian ended DYS’ winning run after outgunning its foe in the second half. Tinian scored at least 20 points each in the last two quarters, while DYS was held to single digits both in the third and fourth periods.

DYS was still ahead at the halftime break, 26-11, when Tinian made the comeback in the third, more than doubling the former’s production in that canto, 20-7, to grab the lead, 41-33. Eight different players hit the board in Tinian’s third-quarter turnaround, while three players combined for the dismal 7 markers of DYS.

DYS’ offense then turned from bad to worse in the fourth canto, as it logged only 4 points off Djay Ong’s two field goals. In contrast, Tinian kept distributing the wealth well with seven players contributing at least one basket apiece in the final frame.

Kobe Mendoza led Tinian with his 17 points, 13 of them came in the pivotal second half. Mark Babauta chipped in 9, while five other Tinian players added at least 5 markers each. Ong paced DYS with his 13, while Jess Santos recorded 10, but had only 2 points in the entire second half. The rest of DYS players combined for only 10 points.

In the other U18 game last week, the Rollers A showed consistency on offense in the first three quarters to seal the win early. The Rollers A dropped 20-plus points in the first three periods, 22 points in the first and 26 each in the second and third, to zero in on their first win as they were way ahead, 74-30, entering the final canto.

The Girls Nationals fell on a very deep hole after three quarters, as they were held to 4 points in the second period and had a so-so offense in the first and third, nailing only 13 markers each. The all-female team also played flat in the fourth, converting only 6 points to suffer a bad beating, as the Rollers A walked away with the 50-point winning margin.

William Camacho top-scored for the Rollers A with his 17 points, while Irvin Malonzo registered 13 and Markel Toves and Kyle Rios added 12 and 10, respectively. Rachel Abrams had 14 points for the CNMI Girls Nationals.

THURSDAY

Rollers A 86 – Camacho 17, Malonzo 13, Toves 12, Rios 10, Arciaga 8, Factor 6, Babauta 6, Deocares 4, Wei 2.

CNMI Girls Nationals 36 – Abrams 14, Pagarao 6, Travilla 5, Ito 4, Pena 3, M. Kautz 2, Sablan.

Scoring by quarters: 22-13, 46-17, 74-30, 86-36.

FRIDAY

Tinian 65 – Mendoza 17, Babauta 9, San Nicolas 6, Nabors 6, J. Sablan 6, Sanbergen 5, De Leon 5, D. Sablan 2, Epity 2.

DYS 37 – Ong 13, J. Santos 10, Montes 4, Manalili 2, Pamintuan 2, Muna 2.

Scoring by quarters: 10-10, 21-26, 41-33, 65-37.