Ali’i rules DLX/IT&E caging

Ali’i players pose with the trophies they collected at the awards ceremony of the DLX/IT&E caging, including the championship trophy they won against I Love Saipan after a 74-65 victory in their title game last Saturday at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Kobee Mendoza top-scored for Ali’i with 23 points, including the team’s last 8 points. He returned to the floor at the 1:56 mark of the fourth canto with I Love Saipan making one final stand, behind by only 5, 61-66, and with possession. A Larry Sharry muffed reverse layup gave the ball back to Ali’i, which pushed the leather to its frontcourt and with I Love Saipan yet to set its defense, Bart Demapan spotted Mendoza cutting from the left wing.

Mendoza converted the shot off Demapan’s feed from midcourt and was awarded a bonus free throw, as Raymond Olopai was called for a technical foul for shouting at the former on the way for the shot. Mendoza made the extra free throw and with Ali’i still holding possession off Olopai’s infraction, the Marianas High School standout made another and-1 play, this time driving from the right wing and drawing another foul from Olopai. Mendoza completed the 3-point play, bringing Ali’i’s lead back to double digits, 72-61, with less than a minute left.

I Love Saipan refused to give up and moved within 7 points off Gyles Ruluked’s free throws and Mike Olaitiman’s layup, but Mendoza went 2-for-2 from the foul line on the other end to seal it for Ali’i, with 16 seconds remaining on the clock.

Ali’i was in control of the one-game title match all night, withstanding I Love Saipan’s repeated comeback bids and preventing the latter from making 3-pointers. I Love Saipan had only one triple, courtesy of Olaitiman, who finished with 13 hard-earned points. In its finals berth-clinching win over Flip Top last Wednesday, I Love Saipan hit 12 triples, six of them came from Olaitiman.

Ben Pelisamen and White Capalad nailed three and two treys, respectively, against Flip Top, and none in the all-important match versus Ali’i. Capalad was held to 4 points, while Pelisamen was scoreless and had limited attempts from beyond the arc, as I Love Saipan opted to go down low either to Ruluked or Sharry.

Ruluked had a lot of success and even scored a game-high 26 points, but his and Sharry’s inside game took away I Love Saipan’s potent outside shooting. The two big men went on to struggle in the paint late in the game, as Ali’i ganged up on them and did a good job rotating back on defense to other I Love Saipan players to prevent the spot-up shooters from having an open look for the long shots.

With I Love Saipan’s shooters either gun shy or missing their attempts in the first half, Ali’i turned a manageable lead, 26-22, to a double-digit spread 39-28, with Raymond Velasco scoring the team’s last 6 points in the first half.

In the second half, I Love Saipan spent its energy fighting back and cut the lead to as low as 4, 59-63, but Velasco converted an alley-oop play off an inbound pass from Demapan down the baseline to give Ali’i more cushion. Velasco’s heads-up play came with the 24-second shot clock ticking and after his earlier layup was swatted away by Ruluked.

Ruluked and company continued to mount a comeback going into the last two minutes of the match, but Mendoza reported back for duty and delivered the telling blows in the end.

Meanwhile, Flip Top hammered Gwap Gang in the battle for third place, 108-80.

Ferick Aguon led Flip Top with a season-high 52 points. He got a lot of open looks from downtown and drained seven triples. The rest of Flip Top players also had a feast from beyond the arc to rout Gwap Gang.

First Game
Flip Top 108 – Aguon 52, Quitugua 21, Sablan 15, Jung 12, Isip 6.
Gwap Gang 80 – Yap 26, Sacramento 22, Vertudez 20, Rabasto 5, Dela Rosa 4.
Scoring by quarters: 21-20, 53-44, 80-62, 108-80.

Second Game
Ali’i 74 – Mendoza 23, Velasco 16, De Dios 13, Peredo 11, Devero 5, Demapan 4, Usi 3.
I Love Saipan 65 – Ruluked 26, Sharry 16, Olaitiman 13, Ra. Olopai 4, Capalad 4.
Scoring by quarters: 21-18, 39-28, 55-47, 74-65.