Ol’Aces leaves tired Ali’i in the lurch

Martech Ol’Aces’ Douglas “Spyder” Schmidt drives against Ali’i’s Nate Mateo in the open division of the 2nd Annual Saipan Centennial Lions Basketball League last Saturday at the Civic Center Basketball Court in Susupe. (MARK RABAGO)

Martech Ol’Aces played their cards right and beat a tired Ali’i crew, 84-59, in the open division of the 2nd Annual Saipan Centennial Lions Basketball League last Saturday at the Civic Center Basketball Court in Susupe.

With the win, Martech Ol’Aces remained perfect after six games, while Ali’i absorbed only its second loss in six games.

Most of Ali’i players were coming off a game in the 2023 Michelob Ultra Cup Men’s Islandwide Basketball League and were already gassed even before warming up for the SCLC caging.

Martech Ol’Aces took advantage and scored in spades in the opening quarter, which they took, 23-13.

Ali’i refused to give up though and narrowed the gap in the second and trailed by only 4 points, 39-35, at intermission.

Fatigue finally set in for Ali’i at the start of the second half and it also didn’t help that Martech Ol’Aces continued to scorch them on offense. The result Martech Ol’Aces blew the game wide open, 67-48, with only a quarter to go.

It was all over but the shouting in the payoff period as there was no rest for the Ali’i weary in their 25-point loss.

Former national players Preston Basa and Douglas “Spyder” Schmidt led Martech Ol’Aces with 21 points and 17 points, respectively. Reymark Castro was the high-point man for Ali’i with 12 points, while Marlon De Dios and Carlos Elchico scored 10 markers apiece.

Blue Eagle/Royal Pacific, meanwhile, blew out a listless Pepoy’s Cafe & Restaurant, 91-66, in the opener.

The game was a rout from the opening period, as Blue Eagle went to 6’3” De Shawn Reign early and often against the much smaller Pepoy’s team.

Reign scored at will, while Pepoy’s couldn’t hit the broadside of the bar. After an 18-5 first quarter, Blue Eagle would only increase that lead to 51-19 at the break.

Pepoy’s changed their pink-colored jerseys in the second half, but the yellow jerseys only worked for a quarter that saw them trim their deficit to as low as 12 before Blue Eagle, this time led by Andrew Ashburn, finally mercifully put them away.

Blue Eagle, which caught their victims at 2-2 in the masters division, was led by the 23 points of Ashburn, while Reign pounded the rock inside for 17 points.

Pepoy’s anemic stand was spearheaded by the 16 points of Bryan Natividad and the 10 points of Moreno Martin.

In the lone completed game last Thursday, JSN Enterprises wiped the floor clean of RNV Construction, 82-57, in the masters division. The former thus leveled its record to 2-2, while the latter is winless in five games.

There was also only one game completed last Friday and it saw Ol’Aces give A’s Car Aircon its first defeat, 97-87, in the masters division following a rugged game. Ol’Aces improved to 3-2, while A’s Car Aircon dropped to 5-1.

Last Monday’s matchups then saw Lakay (3-4) edge Checkpoint International (0-8), 76-72, in the open division, while Blue Haus (5-0) drubbed Double A Corp. (1-4), 84-67, in the masters.

First Game
Blue Eagle/Royal Pacific 91 – Ashburn 23, Reign 17, Villarin 9, Francisco 8, Morales 3, Echavez 2, Estolas 2, Manipon 2.
Pepoy’s Cafe & Restaurant 66 – Natividad 16, Moreno 10, Galulu 8, Viacrucis 7, Mina 5, Usi 5, Rabago 4, Ebuen 2, Camacho 2.
Scoring by quarters: 18-5, 51-19, 64-45, 91-66.

Second Game
Martech Ol’Aces 84 – Basa 21, Schmidt 17, Fitial 13, Brungard 6, Barcinas 4, Diaz 4, Atan 3, Soani 2, Libuw 1.
Ali’i 59 – Castro 12, De Dios 10, Elchico 10, De Guzman 7, Talania 7, N. Mateo 7, Esdrelon 6.
Scoring by quarters: 23-13, 39-35, 67-48, 84-59.