69ers advance to finals

Last year’s runner-up and this year’s Island-wide Village Youth Basketball League pennant champions San Antonio 69ers returned to the finals after walloping San Antonio Sixers I, 69-51, last night at the Koblerville Basketball Court.

The second round action between inter-village rivals saw 69ers initially getting maximum effort from its starting five.

Center Bill Babauta, forwards Jake Maratita and Matt Sablan, and guards Martin Pangelinan and Ernest Duenas scored at least two points each as coach Ray Duenas’ team established control early and led 19-8 after the opening quarter.

Coach Ryan Nisperos’ Sixers I players were able to equal the 69ers point for point in the second as the spread dividing both teams remained constant at 11 points, 32-21.

The only difference in the second was Maratita getting his stroke going, accounting for all but four of the 69ers’ 13-point production in the canto. Alvin Salas, meanwhile, led the charge for Sixers I with five points in the second.

After exerting little or no defensive pressure in the first half, 69ers unsheathed their talons on the third, as coach Duenas ordered a full-court press against Sixers I’s inexperienced backcourt.

The ploy worked, as 69ers finally were able to put a comfortable distance between them and their village-mates.

Maratita also picked up right where he left off, adding 10 more points in the third to allow 69ers to go on top by 21 points, 54-33, going into the fourth and final quarter.

69ers experimented with their second and third stringers in the payoff period, which allowed Sixers I to slice the lead to 14 points in several occasions.

But halfway through the final eight-minute quarter, coach Duenas reinserted his starting five and it immediately paid dividends with Pangelinan stealing from the backcourt and feeding an open teammate on the fastbreak, Babauta snarling a rebound and making two quick baskets, and Maratita adding to his game-high score.

Reserve center Matt Duenas also made his presence felt in the fourth, banging in all of his five points to help 69ers run away with the victory.

Maratita finished with 23 points, 19 in the second half. Babauta and Sablan also chipped in 13 and 10 points, respectively. Brian Chan and Mike Eclevia topped Sixers I in the loss with 11 and 10 points.

The second round of the IVYBL playoffs continues tonight with defending champion Garapan Rollers taking on a resurgent Tanapag Warriors team at the Garapan Basketball Court.

69ers 69 – Maratita 23, Babauta 13, Sablan 10, Pangelinan 6, M. Duenas 5, E. Duenas 4, King 4, Travilla 2, Santos 2.

Sixers I 51 – Chan 11, Eclevia 10, Flores 8, Blesoch 6, Villegas 6, Kintz 2, Cabrera 2.

Scoring by quarters: 19-8, 32-21, 54-33, 69-51.

Referees: Joe Mettao and Jonathan Tenorio.