Dolphins rally past Ayuyus in MISO caging

Marianas High School swept the first round of the 2013-2014 Marianas Interscholastic Sports Association Boys Basketball League after downing Kagman High School, 64-51, in their varsity game last Friday at the MHS Gymnasium.

It was a come-from-behind win for the Dolphins, who trailed by as much as 11 points, 13-24, in the first quarter. The division leader improved its flawless record to 4-0, while Kagman dropped to a 2-2 record, losing its last two games in the first round of the double-round robin competition.

The Dolphins, who ended the opening canto facing a 9-point deficit, 15-24, mounted a comeback early in the second period, launching an 8-0 run to move within 1 with only four minutes gone by in that quarter, 23-24. J.P. Iglecias scored 4 points, while Mike Arciaga and Dixon Kwon added 2 markers each in the rally, which Kagman’s Mel Sakisat ended with a baseline jumper to give the Ayuyus more breathing room. Kagman went on to cling to a 31-29 halftime lead, as it nailed only three field goals in the second frame off Jonathan Santos’ triple and Jason Lampkin’s reverse layup, while MHS scored 6 more points in the closing minutes.

The match remained close in the first seven minutes of the third period before the backcourt duo of Kobe Mendoza and Irvin Malonzo gave MHS leverage in last three minutes to put the Dolphins on top, 46-39. Mendoza had 6 points in the third period, while Malonzo converted two breakaway layups.

The Dolphins managed to steal the lead in the third canto, as they were quick to rotate back on defense to neutralize Kagman’s motion offense. The division leader also anticipated the Ayuyus’ passing lanes, forcing several turnovers, which the Dolphins translated to fastbreak baskets.

With MHS’ defense in sync, Kagman drilled only two field goals in the third and only Lampkin scored more than 2 points for the Ayuyus with four of them coming from the foul line.

Kagman never recovered from thereon, as Jonathan Santos and its two other gunners—Jesse Santos and Sakisat—struggled majority of the fourth before picking up garbage points, while Lampkin gassed out. Jonathan Santos, who scored 11 points in the first period, made only two field goals in the last three quarters with his second one coming in the closing minute of the match. Jesse Santos had a quiet 8 points, posting only 4 in the last three periods, while Sakisat bagged only 4 markers.

MHS had a balance offense with Mendoza leading the way with his 12 points. Mike Espinosa and Prince Factor chipped in 10 each and three others contributed at least 6 apiece.

Meanwhile, MHS also won in the junior varsity game against Kagman, 37-31, to keep its clean slate (3-0) and move one win away from sweeping the first round. Kagman fell to a 1-2 record.

The Dolphins scored in double figures in the second and third quarters to take control of the match and withstood the Ayuyus rally in the second half en route to the 6-point win.

After the MHS-Kagman tussle in the first game ended in a deadlock in the first half, 6-6, the Dolphins threatened to pull away in the second, firing 15 points against the Ayuyus’ 4. Down by 11, 10-21, Kagman picked up its scoring in the third, 14-11, to stay in the game, 24-32.

However, the Ayuyus reverted to its old sluggish offense in the final canto, nailing only 7 markers, allowing MHS to keep the win despite a similar dismal 5-point output in the payoff period.

Junior Varsity

MHS 37 – Pamintuan 15, Borja 14, Cristobal 3, Manalili 3, Vivero 2.

KHS 31 – Muna 9, Tenorio 6, Jones 5, Retan 4, Castro 3, Aaron 2, Torres 2.

Scoring by quarters: 6-6, 19-10, 32-24, 37-31.

Varsity

MHS 64 – Mendoza 12, Factor 10, Espinosa 10, Malonzon 8, Kwon 6, Arciaga 6, Yap 3, Capuyon 2, Iglecias 2, Ano 2.

KHS 51 – Lampkin 23, Jo. Santos 16, J. Santos 8, Sakisat 4.

Scoring by quarters: 15-24, 29-31, 46-39, 64-51.