New Changming Market nips Puerto Rico Bento

New Changming Market’s Alex Standish goes up of a layup against Puerto Rico Bento in the open division of the 2nd Annual Saipan Centennial Lions Basketball League last Saturday at the Civic Center Basketball Court.(MARK RABAGO)

Sidney Quan buried a 15-footer from the top of the key with 3 seconds left to lift New Changming Market to a heart-stopping 77-75 victory against Puerto Rico Bento in the 2nd Annual Saipan Centennial Lions Basketball League last Saturday at the Civic Center Basketball Court.

Puerto Rico Bento immediately sued for time after the Tenorio scion’s bucket, but on the next play their inbound pass was deflected resulting in a mad scramble for the spheroid and Puerto Rico Bento wasn’t able to attempt a shot as the time expired.

Moments before Quan’s bail-out shot, Coby Santos tied things up with a booming triple from the left side of the 3-point arc to knot the count at 75-all.

The dramatic finish appeared not in the cards early on as Puerto Rico Bento trailed early and often with Santos missing the early part of the contest as he was busy with work at the Taste of Marianas.

With the Micronesian Brokers Inc. employee filling cups rather than filling up the score sheet, New Changming Market raced to a 24-14 lead after one quarter of play.

They would maintain that lead in the second quarter as big man Alex Standish was unusually offensive-minded allowing New Changming Market to enter the halftime break with a 43-33 spread. 

That all changed though when Santos entered the picture came the second half, as the CNMI national team pool aspirant immediately went to work and after the third quarter both teams were back to square one at 59-all.

That set up an epic final 10 minutes of the playoff contest, as New Changming Market and Puerto Rico Bento gave each other their best shots culminating in Santos’ game-tying triple that eventually was answered resoundingly by Quan’s cold-blooded free throw line
deuce. 

Jeff Castro went on to lead New Changming Market with 19 points, followed by silky smooth forward Shane Deleon Guerrero’s 14 points and Standish’s 10 markers.

Center-forward Darryl Foronda tried to right the ship in Santos’ absence and finished with a game-high 21 points, while Santos still wound up with 20 points in the loss.

New Changming Market, who beat JTM Saipan, 86-75, in its first playoff action, now takes on Martech-Ol’Aces, who beat The Game, 76-65, earlier in the week. 

The winner of that semis tussle will advance to the finals, while the loser will square off against the winner of the match between Puerto Rico Bento and The Game for the second slot for the championship.

Results of the masters division games last Thursday and Saturday will be published in tomorrow’s issue of Saipan Tribune.

New Changming Market 77 – Castro 19, Deleon Guerrero 14, Standish 10, Quan 8, Apasan 6, Santos 5, Almario 3, Montes 2, Gontar 2. 
Puerto Rico Bento 75 – Foronda 21, Santos 20, Fundador 12, Galang 12, Antonio 4, Hipolito 4, Estimado 2.
Scoring by quarters: 24-14, 43-33, 59-59, 77-75.