670 Sonics, Ol’Aces keep clean slates

The Ol’Aces’ Albert Atan goes up for an uncontested layup during the second half of their U15 division game against Tanapag in the Diaz youth caging last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The 670 Sonics and Ol’Aces extended their winning run in the U15 division of the Inaugural Frank M. Diaz Memorial Youth League after recording contrasting wins last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

In the first game, the Zachariah Johnson-coached 670 Sonics eked out a 43-42 victory over the NMI Rollers to improve to a 4-0 record. The Ol’Aces hold the same perfect mark following a 44-31 triumph against Tanapag in the second match of the weekend.

The Ol’Aces set up the 13-point win against Tanapag (2-2) after taking control of the game in the second quarter. The Ol’Aces-Tanapag tiff was tied at the end of the first period, 8-all, before Napu Atalig, Troy Ngirarois, Rikko Saralu, and Timmy Pangelinan teamed up in giving the winning squad a 27-13 halftime edge. The foursome scored at least two baskets apiece to break the deadlock and hand the Ol’Aces a 14-point lead.

Atalig and company protected the double-digit spread in the second half as Tanapag could not score baskets in streak.

Atalig paced the Ol’Aces with his 12 points, while Pangelinan, Saralu, and Albert Atan combined for 25 markers.

In the second game, the 670 Sonics spread the wealth to pull off the close win against NMI Rollers.

Jester Kintaro knocked in the go-ahead basket for the 670 Sonics, which also drew points from three other players in the fourth quarter to steal the victory from NMI Rollers.

NMI Rollers, on the other hand, had only Angelo Factor making field goals for the squad in the fourth canto. He registered 10 of NMI Rollers’ 11 markers in the final frame, while Joseph Kisa made the solitary point. NMI Rollers led in the first half, 22-20, behind Factor’s 10 markers, but lost the upper hand in the third, 32-34, as only JP Cruz hit the board for the former, while the 670 Sonics got contributions from four players.

The 670 Sonics continued to play a balance offense in the fourth canto to offset the one-man show of Factor and grab a share of the division lead with the Ol’Aces.

First Game
670 Sonics 43 — Kintaro 11, Itaas 10, Ordona 8, Ben 4, Ruez 4, Bayot 2, Sabangan 2, Cadag 2.
NMI Rollers 42 — Factor 20, Cruz 9, Dela Cruz 3, Quiroz 3, Kisa 3, Kim 2, Pangelinan 2.
Scoring by quarters: 12-14, 20-22, 34-32, 43-42.

Second Game
Ol’Aces 44 — Atalig 12, Pangelinan 8, Saralu 7, Atan 6, Ngirarois 4, Maras 4, Soriano 1.
Tanapag 31 — Norita 6, Omar 6, Aguon 5, Sulap 4, Kumuch 4, Lifoifoi 2, Evangelista 2.
Scoring by quarters: 8-8, 27-13, 34-21, 44-31.