Rollers A thwarts Saints in U18 league

The Rollers A’s Prince Factor, left, draws contact on the Chalan Kanoa Saints’ Mike Espinosa on his way to the basket during the fourth quarter of their U18 game in the BANMi youth caging yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Rollers A withstood the Saints’ late rally to take the 10-point win and improve to a 2-1 record for second place in the team standings in the nine-squad field behind the undefeated Tinian (3-0). The Saints fell to an event 1-1 card.

The Saints threatened Rollers A, 54-51, after Mike Espinosa hit back-to-back baskets, with still 2:34 left on the clock. However, the Saints missed two outside shots in their next two possessions, while Prince Factor scored four straight points off two free throws and an undergoal stab to give the Rollers more cushion. The Saints then turned the ball over in the ensuing play, while John Babauta came off the bench and made a point-blanked shot to make it a nine-point lead for the Rollers, 60-51, with 1:35 left on the clock.

Thinking that it had the game in the bag, the Rollers either babied a couple of shots or lost the leather in the few possession exchanges, while the Saint earned five consecutive points off Kautong Omengkar’s reverse layup and Mike Espinosa’s 3-point play. With their successive baskets, the Saints cut the deficit to six, 56-62, 43 seconds remaining in the game.

The Saints had a chance to move closer when the Rollers committed another error, but the former also lost the leather on the other end and were forced to give up a foul to stop the clock. Mike Arciaga made both charities and later returned to the line after another Saints muffed offensive set, drilling two more free throws to peg the final score.

Arciaga paced Rollers A with his 23 points, while Factor added 18. Renan Lansang top-scored for the Saints with his 19 markers, but was held to two field goals in the fourth canto and made both of them early in the payoff frame. Jun Fidelino and Espinosa chipped in 13 and 11, respectively.

Meanwhile, DYS and the CNMI Girls National Team played in the second U18 pairing last night and results of the match will be reported in Saipan Tribune’s Thursday edition. DYS holds a 2-1 record going into last night’s match, while the Girls Nationals dropped their first two games.

Rollers A 66 – Arciaga 23, Factor 18, Feria 8, Camacho 3, Babauta 2, Malonzo 1.

Saints 56 – Lansang 19, Fidelino 13, Espinosa 11, Pangelinan 4, B. Floresca 4, Omengkar 2, Reyes 2, Jones 2.

Scoring by quarters: 14-12, 34-29, 48-43, 66-56.