Blue Haus semis matches still a go

The pair of semis games in the 2015 Blue Haus/IT&E Inter-Color Basketball League will push through as scheduled this weekend, weather permitting.

Mamba’s Adonis Macoto pulls up for a jumper against Purple Rain’s Donnel Isip during the fourth quarter of their playoff game in the Blue Haus-IT&E caging last weekend at the Navy Hill court. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

League coordinator Elmer Esdrelon said that since Tropical Storm Champi is expected to hit Saipan this afternoon, they are hoping weather conditions will improve this Saturday and Sunday so they could hold the Final Four matches.

In the first semis tiff this Saturday, top-ranked Makalaro Lang is set to face the second-seeded Mamba, while the fourth-ranked Red Rice is slated to duel the sixth-seeded Pasion De Amor for the battle for the second finals ticket this Sunday. Both matches will begin at 5pm.

Makalaro Lang gained the top seeding and the automatic semis berth that went with it after finishing the round-robin elimination with a 6-2 record. Mamba, Red Rice, and Pasion De Amor tied Hard Kulangot and Oh My J for the second to sixth place in the team standings with the former winning the tiebreak and taking the No. 2 seed. The five tied squads held identical 5-3 marks and had to face and beat their first round playoff foes to join Makalaro Lang in the semis.

Mamba was the second squad to make it to the Final Four following an 88-70 demolition of last playoff qualifier Purple Rain, while Pasion De Amor and Red Rice followed suit after downing Hard Kulangot, 90-75, and Oh My J, 84-77, respectively, last weekend.

After the completion of the semis cast, the Final Four pairing was determined via draw with Makalaro Langp picking No. 1 getting paired against Mamba. The Ivan Devero-led Makalaro Lang is highly favored against the Brendon Talania-anchored Mamba owing to its 98-69 win in their lone meeting in the elimination round.

Ivan Devero top-scored in Makalaro Lang’s rout of Mamba, firing 32 markers, while John Jugos, Errol Peredo, and Raymond Velasco also made double figures, combining for 49 more points. Completing Makalaro Lang’s crew are Ernie Moises, Greg De Leon, Rico Morales, Ray Culala, and Mat Buenabajo.

Ivan Devero will be going up against his brothers Christian and John Michael, who will team up with Talania, J.R. Mina, Stephen Tolosa, Joseph Woodson, Ariel Abadilla, Jun Domingo, Teddy Orbeta, and Adonis Macoto.

In the other semis pairing, Pasion De Amor has the slight psychological advantage against Red Rice after escaping with a 90-89 win in their head-to-head duel in the elimination.

Pasion De Amor nosed out Red Rice off Elmer Esdrelon’s running jumper in the closing seconds. Esdrelon will lead Pasion De Amor’s finals bid and will be supported by Bart Demapan, Rey Pestillos, Cris and Nestor Arreza, Noel Conti, Jun Carag, and Jeroshi Bautista.

Red Rice on the other hand, will lean on the trio of Darwin Barbo, Angelo Fernando, and Michael Cabanas. Joining the three on Red Rice’s roster are Danray Chan, Joseph Achas, Joel Saplan, Jun Marilla, and Armand Anasan.