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MHS favorite to win vs MBA
Unless a miracle or a sudden twist of fate happens defending champion Marianas High School is expected to breeze through the opening day of the Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization Boys Basketball League playoffs.
League-leading and favorite MHS takes on lowly Marianas Baptist Academy, which dropped all of its 12 games, at 3pm on Thursday at the MHS Gymnasium.
The Dolphins twice defeated the Stormz in the elimination round, first a 66-34 thrashing on Jan. 17 and a 90-49 drubbing on Feb. 18 that completed their 12-game sweep.
Saipan Southern finished second with a 9-3 record, while Mt. Carmel School and Kagman High School ended up tied with 7-5 cards. However, the Knights clinched the third spot based on head-to-head point differential.
Kagman dropped to fifth as Tinian High School, which only competes in the final tournament, receives the fourth seeding automatically.
Grace Christian Academy (5-7) and Saipan International School (2-10) complete the eight-team field that made it to the final round.
MHS’ impending victory against MBA would earn them a spot on the second round of the competition where they will meet the winner of the 3pm match between Kagman and Tinian.
Southern faces SIS at 4:30pm also on Thursday, while MCS takes on GCA in the 7:30pm last game with the winners clashing on Friday at 12:30pm.
The third place match will be played on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 11:30pm, while the championship match is slated at 1pm with the first team to clinch the first finals berth enjoying a twice-to-beat edge.
MISO executive director Nick Gross said all loser’s bracket matches will use a running clock format and reminded all teams that the game times are only estimates that’s why coaches need to make sure their players are on the gym at an earlier time.
“Make sure to have your teams are prepared to play 10-15 minutes after the completion of the previous games,” Gross said.
