NAPA, The Game draw 1st blood in SCLC caging

NAPA Auto’s Jun Alipio goes up against DECM’s Jun Tabora in their masters game in the Inaugural SCLC Basketball League last Saturday at the Gillette Multi-Purpose Gymnasium. (By MARK RABAGO)

NAPA Auto and The Game struck first as the Inaugural SCLC Basketball League unfurled last Saturday at the Gillette Multi-Purpose Gymnasium in Gualo Rai.

Seeing action in the opener, NAPA leaned on the offensive prowess of center Jun Alipio and shooting guard Bernard Montano to win their masters match against DECM, 83-62.

The Mutt-and-Jeff combination scored 13 points between them in the first 10 minutes of action, as NAPA took a 29-15 lead.

It would go from bad to worse for DECM come the second quarter, as the team managed to score only 8 points. In contrast, Alipio outscored DECM all by himself, firing 9 points to help NAPA open a 43-23 spread at the half.

Ariel Baul gave DECM some semblance of life at the start of the second half as he scored 8 quick points. But it wasn’t enough, as NAPA continued to lord it over their outmatched opponents and led 59-40 heading into the fourth and final quarter.

Alipio, who game announcer Alvin “Gen. Bato” Alvarez dubbed as Zanjoe Marudo, would rekindle his sweet-shooting touch in the fourth, firing another 11 points as NAPA won the game by a whopping 21 points.

Alipio and Montano top-scored for NAPA with 27 and 18 points, respectively. “Smoking” Jun Tabora paced DECM with his 19 markers, while Baul added 12 in support.

In the second game, The Game turned on the switch in the second half to beat Lakay Islander, 94-81.

Both teams were pretty well matched in the first and second quarters with The Game taking a 22-20 lead after the first 10 minutes of action and Lakay taking a razor-thin 43-42 spread at intermission

That all changed come the second half, as high-flying Mac Mintac found his stride, pumping in 10 points as The Game managed to get some wiggle room, 66-58, with a quarter to go in the contest.

Arnold Arellano would quickly join the offensive fireworks come the fourth as he and Mintac made mincemeat off all Lakay defenders en route to giving The Game a 13-point win.

Mintac led The Game with 23 points, while Arellano and Kerwin Dayao tossed in 19 and 18 points in support. Lakay was led by the game-high 25 points of Bry Natividad, while D.J. Ong added 15 markers.

The Inaugural SCLC Basketball League will resume this Thursday and will also have playdates on Friday and Saturday. The much ballyhooed opening ceremony of the league will be reported in tomorrow’s issue of Saipan Tribune.

First Game
NAPA Auto 83 – Alipio 27, Montano 18, Tobias 9, Manabat 8, De Guzman 7, Bartolo 6, S. Ebuen 5, O. Ebuen 2, Abuy 1.
DECM 62 – Tabora 19, Baul 12, Joson 6, Pangelinan 6, Salazar 6, Galulu 4, Viola 3, Calunsag 2, Gatdula 2, Tagle 2.
Scoring by quarters: 29-15, 43-23, 59-40, 83-62.

Second Game
The Game 94 – Mintac 24, Arellano 19, Dayao 18, Lizama 13, Sagun 10, Rangamar 6, Hernandez 4.
Lakay Islander 81 – Natividad 25, Ong 15, Rabauliman 9, Palacios 9, Gant 7, Jandoc 5, Escano 4, Capalad 2.
Scoring by quarters: 22-20, 42-43, 66-58, 94-81.