OPA upsets NMC, DPS II continues roll

Office of the Public Auditor was finally in full strength Wednesday in the 2004 Government Basketball League but still needed breaks in the endgame to turn back defending champion Northern Marianas College, 86-81, in the nightcap of the doubleheader at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium

OPA appeared to have NMC’s number early as they raced to a 25-17 lead after the opening quarter.

Center Oscar Sablan made a triumphant return to OPA’s lineup by scoring 10 points in first quarter.

But NMC wasn’t finished by a long shot. Despite fielding a roster full of guards, the 2003 titlists used their speed and long-range shooting to close the gap, 41-38, at halftime.

Guards Kevin Castro, Jester Garcia, and Tony Diaz each fired six or more points to banner NMC’s second-quarter resurgence.

In the third, OPA went back to its bread and butter—Sablan on the low blocks—and the high-leaping slotman obliged them with 16 more points.

After leading by double digits early in the quarter, OPA, however, started to fall into a maze of turnovers and hurried shots that NMC was more than willing to capitalize.

A couple of errors alone by OPA led to two triples by Garcia, who scored 10 points in the quarter.

Diaz and Castro also got to add to their game totals in the period, as NMC went on a mini run in the final minutes to come within 62-65 of OPA’s advantage, heading into the fourth and final quarter.

OPA continued to have the driver’s seat in the early goings of the fourth until NMC went on another run spearheaded by the most unlikely player.

Tony Satur shot NMC back into the lead. The all-time great punctured the hoop with three straight bombs from rainbow territory to give his team a 79-69 spread with a little over five minutes left in the contest.

OPA answered back with a triple from Robert Torres and little by little gnawed at the lead until a putback by Chris Camacho and a bicycle drive by Torres gave them back the upperhand, 81-79.

It then turned into a free-throw shooting contest at the end, with OPA making five and NMC two as well as missing what seemed like half a dozen threes that pretty much decided the game.

Sablan finished with a season-high 34 points to pace OPA. Torres chipped in 15 and forward Taula Peter had 9 in the win.

Garcia paced NMC with 25 but only had two in the fourth. Diaz and Castro also contributed 20 and 15, while Satur finished with 9 points.

In the first game, Department of Public Safety II got 33 points from hulking Ned Norita and 29 from new recruit Ed Diaz as the law enforcers defeated Commonwealth Ports Authority 97-92.

Jawn Joyner and Edgar Pangelinan were again brilliant in defeat pumping in 27 and 24 markers.

The government league resumes tonight with undefeated Public School System taking on winless Saipan Mayor’s Office in the 6:30pm first game. The 8pm second game then pits Department of Community and Cultural Affairs against Tinian.

Saturday’s schedule will have Commonwealth Health Center taking on PSS in the 2pm opener. The second game at 3:30pm features DPS II against Tinian.

First Game

DPS II 97 –Norita 33, Diaz 29, Ayuyu 19, Hocog 10, Sablan 2, Kiyoshi 2, Manalili 2.

CPA 92 – Joyner 27, Pangelinan 24, Reyes 13, Sablan 12, Tagabuel 6, Salas 5, Muna 3, Eileizar 2.

Scoring by quarters: 30-20, 58-41, 72-69, 97-92.

Referees: Ricky Itaas and Jess Pacheco.

Second Game

OPA 86 – O. Sablan 34, Torres 15, Peter 9, Camacho 8, Pangilinan 6, M. Sablan 6, Atalig 6, Dela Cruz 2.

NMC 81 – Garcia 25, T. Diaz 20, Castro 15, Satur 9, John 6, MacDuff 3, J. Diaz 3.

Scoring by quarters: 25-17, 41-38, 65-62, 86-81.

Referees: Dado Vistal and Joe Mettao.