Ace, GMI ease past opponents

Ace Hardware’s Dave Camacho drives against two San Antonio Patriots defenders during a game in the MIBF outdoor caging last week. Ace Hardware played last Monday and routed MGNEL Construction, 82-55. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Ace Hardware and GMI Market coasted to victories in the Mariana Islands Basketball Federation’s Inaugural Men’s Outdoor League.

Ace Hardware played in the second game at the San Antonio court and hammered MGNEL Construction, 82-55, for its fourth win in five matches. GMI Market also gained its fourth triumph after seven games following an 87-51 demolition of 5-Star Construction last Friday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Both Ace Hardware and GMI Market banked on their strong starts to set up the easy wins against the depleted crews of MGNEL and 5-Star, which fell to similar 2-4 records.

Alex Lauron sparked Ace Hardware’s early surge, scoring 10 of his total points in the first quarter to lift his team to a 24-8 advantage. Ken Viray was also on target from the get-go, adding 7 markers, while Don Brennan and Salam Younis were the other scorers for Ace Hardware in the opening 10 minutes of play.

While Ace Hardware got its offense going right at the start of the match, it was a different story for MGNEL, which had no player making more than a field goal in the first canto and was held to four baskets.

MGNEL, who fielded only nine players in the match, picked up its scoring a bit in the second quarter, but it failed to stop Ace Hardware’s other gunners from scoring. By the end of the first half, Ace Hardware had nearly doubled MGNEL’s output, 47-24.

Ace Hardware continued to pile up points in the second half en route to the 27-point winning margin.

Lauron paced Ace Hardware with his 20 points, while Viray added 19. Five other Ace Hardware players contributed at least 5 points apiece in the one-sided game.

In last Friday’s tiff, GMI Market built an early double-digit lead and never relinquished it to beat 5-Star Construction, which saw action in last weekend’s game with only seven players.

Donald Romu and Jun Alipio combined for 14 for GMI Market in the first period to hand their team a 23-10 lead. Mario Sison, who missed the opening canto, then made his presence felt in the next two quarters, tallying 17 points to power GMI Market to a 62-39 advantage, going into the fourth canto. Sison had a string of 10 points in the third frame.

Alipio also recorded consecutive points (8), bridging the closing minutes of the third and opening of the fourth to finish off 5-Star Construction.

Alipio and Sison went on to top-score for GMI Market after registering 19 points apiece, while Michael Cabanas had 18 for 5-Star.

Meanwhile, games last Wednesday were rained-out and league organizers hope to resume the matches tonight. The unbeaten Ol’Aces (4-0) will try to keep their streak when they face Saipan Apparel (3-1) in the first game at 6:30pm, while in the second tiff at 8pm, MGNEL will duel the Talaabwogh Stars.

Monday Game
Ace Hardware 82— Lauron 20, Viray 19, Brennan 9, Quan 8, J. Sablan 7, Rabauliman 5, B. Sablan 5, Hammond 4, Younis 4.
MGNEL Construction 55 — Ferrer 10, Isip 9, Laguindam 7, Aguon 7, Pagarados 7, Sablan 5, Tabora 4, Asuhan 4, Bisana 2.
Scoring by quarters: 24-8, 47-24, 70-33, 82-55.

Friday Game
GMI Market 87 — G. Sison 19, Alipio 19, Romu 12, P. Factor 9, Fidelino 7, A. Factor 6, Senupe 4, Salcedo 5, Banayas 2.
5-Star Construction 51 — Cabanas 18, Pineda 16, Munar 11, Cataluna 3, Hernandez 3.
Scoring by quarters: 23-10, 37-21, 62-39, 87-51.