Manta Rays scream past Eagles in boys caging

  The Saipan Southern High School Manta Rays routed the Grace Christian Academy Eagles, 77-49, in Wednesday’s Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization boys basketball varsity matchup held at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

The win marked the Manta Rays’ fifth out of six games, while GCA fell to a win-loss slate of 1-5.

Meanwhile, GCA snuck past SSHS’ Manta Rays, 33-32, in the junior varsity tiff.

Both teams now share identical cards of 3-2.

In the varsity match, GCA managed a slim, 13-11, lead in the opening 10 minutes built off of seven points from team captain Angelo Salas.

SSHS’ Jack Aranda then got his team’s offense moving in the ensuing period and opened up a 35-23 lead for the Manta Rays at halftime.

Teammate Jimmy Tudela also scored six points late in the second quarter that helped provide a nice cushion heading into the break.

A pair of 3-pointers by GCA’s Moon Bin Hong kept the Eagles within range, but the Manta Rays kicked it in an extra gear at the start of the second half.

SSHS’ Christian Mizer took over in the third quarter, tallying nine markers as the Manta Rays pulled away, 57-38, with 10 minutes left in the game.

Teammate Jaymark De Guzman chipped in six points in support.

After going blow for blow early in the match, GCA ran out gas late in the game. SSHS wrestled down the majority of the rebounds in the contest, which limited the Eagles’ second-chance scoring opportunities.

Mizer led SSHS with 17 points in the end, while GCA’s Salas topped the field with 21.

Similar to the varsity duel, both SSHS and GCA’s junior varsities started slow as the Manta Rays managed a 3-1 lead against the Eagles in the first quarter.

GCA’s Patrick Reyes heated up in the second period for eight points, but the Manta Rays still clung to a 13-12 lead at the half. Daniel Camacho led SSHS with seven markers in the first half.

Then after the pause GCA buckled down on defense and held the Manta Rays to just three points in the third quarter as they built a two-possession advantage, 21-17.

SSHS’ Emerson Feria came alive in the fourth with a string of seven points, but GCA held strong in the fourth quarter for the win.

Feria was held to just one point before the start of the final period and finished with a team-high 12 points. However GCA’s Dong Ha Lee delivered six big points at crunch time to keep GCA a step ahead in the match.

Lee’s teammate Reyes led all scorers with 14.

The season continues on Monday with a 4pm junior varsity pairing between Kagman High School (1-2) and Saipan International School (0-3) followed by GCA’s varsity squad taking on the Mount Carmel School (0-5) Knights.

VARSITY

SSHS 77 – Mizer 17, Tudela 15, De Guzman 12, Aranda 10, Salem 8, Alegre 7, Hofschneider 7, Sablan 1.

GCA 49 -Salas 21, Hong 12, Kim 6, Libut 4, Salas 4, Borja 2.

Scoring by quarters: 11-13, 35-23, 57-38, 77-49

JUNIOR VARSITY

GCA 33 – Reyes 14, Lee 10, Smithee 5, Del Rosario 4.

SSHS 32 – Feria 12, Camacho 9, Javier 6, Palacios 3.

Scoring by quarters: 1-3, 13-12, 21-17, 33-32.