MCS, MHS defeat foes in boys HS hoops

Agape Christian School’s Michael Ma tries to block a shot attempt by a Saipan International School player during the 2022-2023 IT&E Interscholastic Boys High School Basketball League last Wednesday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium. (LEIGH GASES)

The Mount Carmel School Knights and the Marianas High School Dolphins varsity teams defeated their respective foes in Day 2 of the high school boys caging in the 2022-2023 IT&E Interscholastic Boys High School Basketball League last Friday at the MHS Gymnasium.

The Knights claimed their second win of the season after they blasted through the Agape Christian School Torchbearers, 43-18, while the Dolphins controlled the ball against the Grace Christian Academy Eagles, 43-13.

The Knights, consisting of CNMI U15 National Team basketball player including Lance Lerio, shone on the court as he led his school with 16 points. 

The towering Torchbearers and their plays on the court were shut down and were reduced to just 9 points in each period—as another national team player from the Knights roster—Michael Mercado, helped steer the Knights away into their second win with 9 points of his own.

Meanwhile, the Torchbearers’ Caleb Cui navigated the paint with his speedy footwork and attacks at the backboard and shot 9 points, but the almost impenetrable defense of the Knights diminished the Torchbearers’ offense to just 9 more in the second half— 4 from Bill Li, 3 made by Allen Luo, and 2 shot by John Chen.

Jay Francis Pineda and Ohane Borja increased the Knights’ lead with 5 points each, while Earle San Nicolas contributed 4, and Kern Han and Derek Sasamoto shot a field goal each.

After, the Eagles fell from the sky into Dolphin waters led by A.J. Johnny’s 13 markers. 

The Eagles couldn’t get past the Dolphins’ defense as they were only able to score 7 points in the first half, 5 of which was made by Kent Ouyang.

The Dolphins also had a dynamite offense as almost all of the Dolphins’ lineup assisted in the team’s final score—with Aiden Suba banking 8 points, Jesse Takawo shot 6, while Dylan Mister and Charlz Sanchez shot 4 each.

In the second half, Julian Taitano and Ayden Yumul of the Eagles’ scored the last 6 points and were silenced until the final buzzer.

In the junior varsity games of the night, the MHS junior varsity beat MCS JV, 25-8; and the Kagman High School JV narrowly defeated Saipan Southern High School JV, 30-28. 

MHS 43 – Johnny 13, Suba 8, Takawo 6, Mister and Sanchez 4, Viana, David, and Licayan 2.
GCA 13 – Ouyan 5, Taitano 3,  Yumul 3, Lai 2. 
Scoring by halves: 21-7; 43-13.

MCS 43 – Lerio 16, Mercado 9, San Nicolas and Borja 5, Pineda 4, Han and Sasamoto 2.
ACS 18 – Cui 9, Li 4, Luo 3, Chen 2.
Scoring by halves: 18-9; 43-18.