Karahu, Fantastic 5, Ol’Aces supreme in 3-on-3

Karahu brought its A game and walked away as the top gun of their division for the second straight year, while the Ol’Aces and Fantastic 5 performed well en route to claiming the championship crowns in Saturday’s 2nd Annual 3-on-3 Back 2 School Street Basketball Jam at the Civic Center court.

Comprised of veterans of the Rotary and 25-and-under leagues, Karahu cruised through the preliminary rounds, kept its perfect record intact through the second round, and closed with an 8-7 victory over San Antonio II in the finals to finish on top of the boys’ 18-and-under division.

Karahu’s Kovin Ogumoro was recognized as the most valuable player, but had a lot of support from teammates Aitau Barcinas, Wylie Paez, and Jeff Deleon Guerrero.

Meanwhile, young cagebelles Lia Rangamar, Rachel Rangamar, Elisa Fejeran, Chelsea Ruluked, and Arcy Moncrief had what it took and emerged as champions of the girls’ 18-and-under division after beating the CNMI Ballers, 8-6, in the championship game.

Ruluked’s hustle and play on both ends of the floor earned her most valuable player recognition.

The Fantastic 5, comprised of Ric Basila, J.R. Concepcion, Jericho Cruz, Mike Bondoc, and Dino Palacios, had their stuff working for them in the boys’ 14-and-under competition and managed to beat sister team G-Riders, 13-8, in the championship game to cop the title.

Both teams are made up of players from the Garapan Rollers family headed by Joe Diaz, whose teams are currently seeing action in the 2005 Saipan Rotary Club Youth Basketball League.

The three championship teams each received a trophy, $125 cash, $10 movie gift certificate for each player, Street Jam T-shirts and towels, Powerade T-shirts, and a basketball.

Runners up were each presented a trophy, $75 cash, Street Jam T-shirts and towels, Powerade T-shirts and a basketball, while third-place finishers each received a trophy, $50 cash, Street Jam shirts and towels, Powerade key chains and a basketball.

All other teams that participated also received T-shirts and towels and a basketball.

The tournament also featured a half-court shootout, which was won by San Antonio II’s Frank Blas, who was fortunate to take an attempt after four of the five individuals who were first picked to attempt the shot missed. The other was not in attendance, which forced Power 99’s Big Boy to call out more names. Blas’ name was called, and while Big Boy was still calling others to the court, the San Antonio forward focused on the rim, took a couple of steps, and launched a shot that found the bottom of the net for $25.

Sponsors of the event were Division of Public Health, Community Guidance Center, Women’s Affairs Office, the Basketball Association of the Northern Mariana Islands, United Filipino Organization, Powerade, and the Division of Sports and Recreation.