Eight teams begin push for Rotary championship

The eight teams that survived the regular season of the 2005 Saipan Rotary Club Youth Basketball League are now fighting for all the marbles as the single-elimination playoffs kicked off yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Making their final pushes were San Antonio, Southern Sonics, and San Antonio Sixers I, as the three teams from the south took care of business in their final regular season showdowns.

Last Friday, the Sonics strolled to their 11th win in 12 games by routing the young Garapan Rollers III, 125-64.

League leading scorer Rowel Aranda was phenomenal throughout the bout and all but secured winning the scoring title by unleashing another scoring spree that left all in awe.

The forward scored 21 points in the first half, but unfortunately for G-III, Aranda was just getting started as he went berserk in the second half and worked for another 24 points to finish with a game-high 45 points.

He got solid support as Lester Babauta also torched the nets and fired 30 points, while Jack Lizama and Mike Eclevia contributed 18 and 10 points, respectively.

Champ Untalan led G-III with 14 points, while Josh Moses and Kyle Concepcion added 12 and 11 points.

On Thursday, San Antonio got clutch shots from Josh Sablan and Bill Babauta in the dying minutes to edge the Chalan Kanoa Saints, 69-63.

Sablan nailed a couple of triples and Babauta drove the lane and scored on a layup and a free throw to hold off Luis Reyes and the Saints.

Reyes did all he could to keep his team close as he drilled a triple and scored 10 of his team’s last 15 points, but Sablan and Babauta’s baskets, as well as two free throws by Preston Basa, sealed the deal.

Sablan and Basa led San Antonio with 28 and 13 points, while Reyes and younger brother L.J. paced the Saints with 30 and 12 points.

The evening also featured another hotshot making a strong close to the regular round as Kevin Cequena of Sixers I swooshed a whopping 44 points, 27 of them in the second half, in leading his team to a 96-87 victory over the Matansa Sparks.

Top gun Manuel Ajoste also had a solid outing and scored 20 points for the Sixers I while Jon Lim added 11 points.

James Camacho and Zack Diaz led the Sparks with 18 and 14 points, while Jonathan Salas and Jojo Ulloa had 13 and 12 points.

Meanwhile, pennant champion and No. 1 seed G-Rollers I, which posted a perfect 12-0 record in the regular season, kicked off the playoffs against sister-team and No. 8 seed G-Rollers II yesterday evening. Results were not available as of press time.

Two games will be played today with the Sonics taking on the Sparks (6-6) in the opener and the Sixers I (10-2) battling the Saints (7-5).

Fourth seed San Antonio (9-3) faces No. 5 Toyota Camry-Ol’Aces (7-5) tomorrow.

The four winning teams will advance to the semifinals, which will be played on Thursday. The championship game is expected to be played on Monday.

FRIDAY

Sonics 125 – Aranda 45, Babauta 30, Lizama 18, Eclevia 10, Kaipat 6, Apelo 6, Ferrer 4, Gl. Echon 2.

G-III 64 – Untalan 14, Moses 12, K. Concepcion 11, D. Palacios 8, Jung 5, Lebria 4, Macaranas 3, J. Concepcion 3, J. Palacios 2, Deleon Guerrero 2.

Scoring by halves: 68-24, 125-64.

Referees: Noel Delos Santos and Gilbert Espinosa.

THURSDAY

FIRST GAME

San Antonio 69 – Sablan 28, Basa 13, Babauta 9, R. Palacios 9, Duenas 4, Blas 4, You 2.

Saints 63 – Luis Reyes 30, L. J. Reyes 12, Manalo 6, D. Nedlic 4, La. Reyes 4, San Nicolas 3, B. Iglecias 2, Magday 2.

Scoring by halves: 30-23, 69-63.

Referees: Noel Delos Santos and Gilbert Espinosa.

Second Game

Sixers I 96 – Cequena 44, M. Ajoste 20, Lim 11, Magcalas 9, J. Bahillo 4, J. Bahillo 4, O. Ajoste 2, Nakashima 2.

Sparks 87 – Camacho 18, Diaz 14, Salas 13, Ulloa 12, Deleon Guerrero 8, Patrinus 7, Benjamin 6, J. Iguel 6, E. Iguel 2, King 1.

Scoring by halves: 40-38, 96-87.

Referees: Noel Delos Santos and Gilbert Espinosa.