Hite, Ali’i nose out opponents

Hite and Ali’i pulled off close wins in their respective games in the 2014 DLX/IT&E Invitational Basketball League last Saturday night at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

In the curtain-raiser, Ali’i outlasted I Love Saipan in overtime, 102-98, to remain unbeaten in four matches, while in the second game, Hite escaped the ICS Shooters, 56-54, to extend its win streak to three after going 0-2.

Hite hung on to the 2-point lead in the closing seconds after ICS bungled several opportunities to either tie the match or grab the upper hand. Keoni Chariton muffed two triples, Don Brennan’s drive was blocked by Zack Diaz in ICS’ successive offensive sets under the two-minute mark of the final canto.

Hite’s Tristan Montes drives against three ICS Shooters defenders during the third quarter of their game in the DLX caging last Saturday at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Hite also faltered on the other end with Eugene Manglona committing the last miss, overshooting his mark from the left baseline, giving ICS another chance to hit either the game-tying basket or the go-ahead shot, with 14.2 seconds left on the clock. Brenan went for the game-winning shot, but his 3-point attempt from the top of the key rattled off the rim. Hite secured the rebound and ICS was forced to give up quick fouls to stop the clock. ICS had fouls to give, so Hite just went for the inbound play and ran down the last two seconds of the match.

Three Hite players finished in twin digits in their 2-point win with Zack Babauta leading the way with his 17 points. Alex Lauron and Eugene Manglona chipped in 11 and 10, respectively. Tristan Montes did not hit the double-figure mark with his 8 points, but he collared crucial offensive board and had two putbacks with the last one breaking the 52-all deadlock.

A Manglona lean-in basket made it a 4-point lead for Hite, 56-52, going into the last two minutes of the match and after teams traded errors, Perry Inos moved ICS within a deuce, drilling a short jumper on a fastbreak play. Inos’ basket turned out to be ICS’ last field goal, as the team missed its last final four attempts.

In the first game, Kobe Mendoza, Bart Demapan, and Karlo De Leon scored 5 points each in overtime to lift Ali’i to the 3-point win. Deleon also nailed the last 2 points of Ali’i from the free throw line, while Demapan converted the final field goal to help their team finish the round-robin regular season on top of Group A.

Demapan led Ali’I with his 28 points, while Mendoza and De Leon added 22 and 17, respectively. Ben Pelisamen top-scored for I Love Saipan with his 21 markers, including the game-tying triple in the closing seconds of the regulation. I Love Saipan absorbed its first loss in three matches.

First Game

Ali’i 102 – Demapan 28, Mendoza 22, De Leon 17, De Dios 12, Peredo 8, Usi 4, Hernandez 2,

I Love Saipan 98 – Pelisamen 21, Olopai 18, Capalad 17, Sharry 14, M. Olaitiman 11, Ruluked 7, J. Olaitiman 2.

Scoring by quarters: 29-17, 46-37, 64-64, 85-85, 102-98 (OT).

Second Game

Hite 56 – Z. Babauta 17, Lauron 11, Manglona 10, T. Montes 8, Diaz 5, Tenorio 5.

ICS Shooters 54 – Brennan 16, Ong 12, Inos 11, Bisana 6, Chariton 5, Babauta 4.

Scoring by quarters: 21-10, 30-29, 47-44, 56-54.