Ashley’s blasts Star Water in Blue Haus caging

  Ashley’s broke into the win column after subduing Star Water, 101-79, in the A Division of last Thursday’s Blue Haus Invitational Basketball League matchup at the Garapan Basketball Court.

Ashley’s first triumph came on its fourth try, while Star Water is still in search of a victory after three games.

In addition, B Division’s Wanted Sponsor moved up in the ranks with a mark of 3-2 and trails only Loving Hands Daycare (3-1) in the standings.

Wanted Sponsor outlasted rival squad Saipan Hardware (3-2), 73-65, in Thursday’s opener after stealing an 80-79 win over Hip Hop Thunder (1-4) last Saturday. Rain suspended Saturday’s late feature between Division B’s NVM (2-1) and Cargo Express (2-2).

Frontrunner QQ Rent-A-Car (4-1), DLX (3-1), and R-Rebels (2-1) make up the rest of the A Division.

The season continues tonight with NVM calling over Loving Hands at 6pm followed by the R-Rebels against Star Water at 8:30pm.

Saipan Hardware worked the ball around well in the opening frame of Thursday’s opener as seven different players put a hand in for a 20-13, advantage.

However, Wanted Sponsor’s Lawrence Rollon and Dave Sablan tallied 6 points apiece in the second quarter to pull within a basket, 30-32, at the half.

Wanted Sponsor’s Banjo Basilla and Kae Bernardo then each dropped 8 points in the third period that helped extend their team to a 56-50 lead heading into the last 10 minutes.

Wanted Sponsor’s Sablan added 6 markers in the fourth quarter as the team coasted to a solid win. He led four teammates in double figures with 16, while Saipan Hardware’s Zack Babauta buried six late free throws and matched Sablan’s game total.

Wowie Abuel drained two treys for eight points in the first quarter of Thursday’s late match as Ashley’s spurted out to an early 30-22 margin.

He and Edmark Mendoza hooked up for 11 checks in the second quarter, but Star Water came back and made it a 1-point match, 46-47, at halftime.

Star Water’s trio of Marlon De Dios, Ron Gamboa, and Ernie Moises combined for 33 points in the first half.

Ashley’s Dennis Cortez and Jack Lizama got things going after the break and delivered 8 points apiece to push the squad ahead, 71-62, heading into the last canto.

Ashley’s transition offense wore out Star Water midway through the final 10 minutes as the score got out of hand late in the contest.

Lizama led all scorers with 24 points, while Abuel came in one shy. Star Water’s Gamboa turned in 18 in defeat.

On Saturday, Wanted Sponsor’s Kae Bernardo heated up early on for 7 points that helped his crew build a 15-11 lead.

He was held to a basket in the second quarter as Hip Hop Thunder roared in front, 38-31, at halftime. Eight different players chipped in on the rally.

Bernardo barreled down low for 13 markers in the third quarter, but Hip-Hop Thunder maintained a 62-54 cushion heading into the final period thanks to 9 points and some nifty assists by Rodney Sacramento.

Wanted Sponsor shrugged off the deficit at crunch time thanks largely to the 12 points in the clutch by Rex Yabut who got the team’s final bucket to fall, clinching the win.

He finished one fewer than Bernardo’s 24, while Hip-Hop Thunder’s Ivan Devero scrambled for 16 in the loss.

THURSDAY
First Game

Sponsor Wanted 73 -Sablan 16, Bernardo 14, Rollon 14, Miranda 13, Basilla 12, Deleon Guerrero 3, Pantaleon 2.

Saipan Hardware 65 -Babauta 16, Peredo 11, Lauron 9, Quan 9, Park 4, Lansang 2, Diaz 2.

Scoring by quarters: 13-20, 30-32, 56-50, 73-65.

Second Game

Ashley’s 101 -Lizama 24, Abuel 23, Mendoza 16, Cortez 12, Usi 10, Mungcal 7, Norita 6, Ito 1.

Star Water 79 – Gamboa 18, Moises 11, Capalad 10, Gomez 8, Rivera 7, Santos 3, Sacramento 2.

Scoring by quarters: 30-22, 47-46, 71-62, 101-79.

SATURDAY

Wanted Sponsor 80 – Bernardo 25, Yabut 24, Basilla 7, Miranda 7, Rollon 6, Pantaleon 4, Cadag 4, Deleon Guerrero 2.

Hip Hop Thunder 79 – I. Devero 16, Castro 10, Libuw 9, Sacramento 8, N. Mateo 7, D. Mateo 7, C. Devero 14, Culala 5, Durant 4.

Scoring by quarters: 15-11, 31-38, 54-62, 80-79.