KHS, MHS beat foes in HS boys caging

Kagman High School’s Austin Diaz goes for a layup in their win against Grace Christian Academy in the continuation of the 2022-2023 IT&E Interscholastic Boys High School Basketball League last Friday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium. (LEIGH GASES)

The Kagman High School Ayuyus boys basketball varsity team beat the Grace Christian Academy Eagles varsity, while the Marianas High School Dolphins defeated Agape Christian Torchbearers in the 2022-2023 IT&E Interscholastic Boys High School Basketball League Friday night at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

The Ayuyus did not take it easy against the Eagles as they more than quadrupled their score, 65-16, in a blowout game led by Austin Diaz’s 15 points, while the Dolphins drenched the fire of the Torchbearers, 51-35.

KHS’ Frankie Satur opened up the game with a field goal, with the next 6 points coming from teammate Lucio Aldan. 
Meanwhile, the Eagles were off to a slow start as only 5 points—4 of which were from foul shots from Sui Yi, Jiahang Wu, and Ayden Yumul were made in the first half. 

The Ayuyus, however, side-stepped, alley-ooped, and layuped their way through the first half—as their offense did not let up, with Satur scoring 6 more points, Diaz adding 3, and Myles Techur shooting two free throws, to end the first half, 26-5.

It was not any better for the Eagles in the second half as they couldn’t find their rhythm with their shots and their defense slacking. 

Only Julian Taitano made the most contact with the basket as he managed to shoot 6 points, but with little help from the rest of the team, his effort was all for naught.  

For the next few minutes until the end of the game, the Ayuyus rained down more shots from the perimeter and within the paint, as Aldan finished with 11 and Satur shot 10 points. 

The rest of the Ayuyus contributed to the pile of points against the Eagles, with Alejandro Ortiz scoring 6, Techur with 5, and Anthony Dikito and Reed Camacho with 4 each.

Over in the first varsity caging of the night, MHS drenched the Torchbearers, led by Airson Atan’s 13 points. Teammate Aiden Suba went double digits as well with 10 points. 

The Torchbearers, on the other hand, had a hard time connecting their shots with the rim as the first half ended, 17-29.

However, with the Torchbearers looking for redemption in the second half, the Dolphins carried their momentum as Atan sank back-to-back jump shots which pulled them further from the Torchbearers. 

The Torchbearers’ Jacob Wang tried to edge closer to the Dolphins with a couple of 3-pointers, but the Dolphins’ pinpoint accuracy and tight defense tired them down—and eventually revved too far ahead that they couldn’t catch up.

In the junior varsity games earlier in the afternoon, Saipan Southern High School JV went against Mount Carmel JV and won, 31-18 ; and MHS JV won against KHS JV, 38-17.

In the varsity standings, MCS still leads with a 2-0 record; KHS and MHS are now at 1-0 each; SSHS is still 1-0; ACS is at 1-3; GCA has no wins yet with 0-4; and SIS is still 0-1.

In the junior varsity standings, MHS JV is now undefeated at 3-0, KHS and SSHS are both 2-1; MHS JV-2 is still at 1-2; and MCS JV have yet to win with 0-4.

KHS 65 – Diaz 15, Satur 12, Aldan 11, Ortiz and Dikito 6, Techur 5, Camacho 4, Hocog, Norita, and Rabauliman, 2.
GCA 16 – Taitano 6, Adriatico, Daproza, and Balakrishna, 2; Wu, Yumul, and Jones, 1.
Scoring by halves: 26-5; 65-16.

MHS 51 – Atan 13, Suba 10, Viana 8, Pelisamen Jr. and Licayan 4, Sanchez, Lukas, and Ong 2.
ACS 35 – Wang 11, Cui and Luo 8, Li 6, Ma 2.
Scoring by halves: 29-17; 51-35.