MHS favorite to repeat in MISO caging

Marianas High School could be on its way to successfully defending its Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization Boys Basketball League title this season, if no other team could stop the rampaging Dolphins anytime soon.

Marianas High School junior varsity player Melvin Deocares looses ball possession while attempting to go for a layup in an earlier game against Saipan Southern High School JV in the Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization Boys Basketball League.
(Jon Perez)

The defending champion Dolphins booked their 10th straight win, an 82-44 crushing of the Saipan International School Geckos last Thursday at the MHS Gymnasium.

They were playing the Mt. Carmel School Knights at press time, which is the same team they dealt a 57-27 beating last month.

The Dolphins, already assured of the top seeding in the double-elimination round finals, close out their campaign against winless Marianas Baptist Academy today.

Mikell Arciaga scattered 17 points and DJay Ong finished with 15 to lead MHS to the easy win against SIS

Ethan Manalili also tallied 15 markers and fired three straight 3-pointers to help the Dolphins enjoy a 25-9 lead after 10 minutes of play.

MHS has been averaging 72.9 points per game, while holding opponents to only 37.8 markers per contest for an average winning margin of 35.1.

MHS has scored the most points in a game against Saipan Southern High School, an 87-56 triumph on Jan. 14, and posted the largest-winning margin of 54 over Grace Christian Academy, 74-20, on Jan. 7.

The Dolphins held the Geckos to the lowest point total this season at 19, while having the least-winning margin of 12 against the Manta Rays, 75-63, on Feb. 10.

MHS last won back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010. The Kagman High School Ayuyus foiled the Dolphins’ three-peat bid in 2011, while Tinian High School, which only joins the double-elimination round final tournament, ruled the roost in 2012.

The Dolphins regained the crown in 2013 thanks to Mike Arciaga’s putback to escape with a 37-36 decision against the Ayuyus.

In other Thursday games, SSHS breezed through a 57-29 win over MHS in an all-junior varsity match, while Kagman squeezed out a 61-59 decision against GCA in the other varsity match up.

First Game
SSHS JV 57 – Taitano 18, Tekopua 8, Alipio 6, Cruz 6, Aque 4, Borromeo 4, Siech 4, Esmundo 3.

MHS JV 29 – Dancoe 18, Cristobal 4, Bucayo 2, Deocares 2, Ellama 2, Miller 1.

Scoring by quarters: 17-9, 31-14, 42-20, 57-29.

Second Game
MHS 82 – Arciaga 17, Manalili 15, Ong 15, Espinosa 10, Malonzo 10, Factor 9, Mendoza 4, De Leon 2.

SIS 44 – Johnson 10, A. Cepeda 9, H.H. Kim 9, C. Cepeda 8, Y.K. Kim 2, Park 2, Ramsey 2, Smith 2.

Scoring by quarters: 25-9, 37-18, 53-37, 82-44.

Third Game
KHS 61 – Palino 24, Muna 18, Faisao 10, Torres 6, Lizama 3.

GCA 59 – Lee 18, W. Yu 13, Hinson 12, H. Yu 11, Hong 5.

Scoring by quarters: 17-9, 23-24, 38-35, 61-59.