Previous Story
3-way tie for lead in Gen Cup youth
Joel’s Andrew Palino goes up for a fastbreak shot during an earlier game against Jonah in the youth division of the Gen Cup. He scored 30 points in Joel’s 94-67 rout of Nahum last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Jonah and Joel, which whipped Haggai, 87-52, and Nahum, 94-67, respectively, in the last pair of matches in the first of the two-round robin regular season, improved to a 3-1 record to tie Ezra for the top spot in the five-team field. Nahum finished the first round with a 1-3 record, while Hagai was winless in four matches.
Jethro Cruz lifted Jonah to its third straight win after losing its debut (versus Joel) as the lefty shooter exploded for 35 points. Sam Darag and Chino Ponce provided enough support, adding 18 and 13, respectively.
Cruz’s guns were blazing in the first half, as he knocked in 22 points, including 11 of Jonah’s last 13 markers in that period to give his team a double-digit lead, 36-21. The Saipan Southern High School standout slowed down a bit in the second, but Darag was there to finish what the former started to widen the gap and hand Hagai its fourth loss in as many matches.
Teemo Wang paced Hagai with his 17 markers.
In the second game, Andrew Palino and John Carlos Elchico towed Joel to the 27-point win against Nahum. Palino fired 30 points, while Elchico had 22 for Joel, which set up the easy victory after building a 10-point advantage at the break, 45-35.
Palino and Elchico alternately hit baskets in streaks for Joel to put their team on top of the leaderboard along with Jonah and Ezra.
Meanwhile, the second round of matches started last night with Ezra facing Nahum in the first game and Joel and Jonah colliding in the second. Results of yesterday’s matches were unavailable at press time.
First Game
Jonah 87— Cruz 35, Darag 18, Ponce 13, Cabrera 8, Gozon 4, Marcellana 4.
Hagai 52 — Wang 17, Cheng 11, Alonzo 9, Gonzales 6, Del Carmen 4, Batallones 4.
Scoring by halves: 36-21, 87-52.
Second Game
Joel 94 — Palino 30, Elchico 22, Ocaya 10, Cruz 9, Ibanez 8, Ocanada 6, De Leon 3.
Nahum 67 — Cai 19, Chen 17, Sacdalan 12, Tu 9, Wang 6, Bacani 4.
Scoring by halves: 45-35, 94-67.
