Van Buren paces govt scoring

Department of Community and Cultural Affairs center/forward Taj Van Buren is currently leading the scoring race in the 2008 PTI Inter-Government Business Basketball League.

The 6’4” former Pacific Islands Club clubmate has so far burned the nets for 122 total points in four games to average 30.5 an outing for DCCA.

Ponce Rasa of Autonomous is close behind Van Buren as the 5’9” guard/forward is currently averaging 29 points per game after firing 87 points in three ballgames.

Tinian’s bull-strong small forward Anthony Borja and DCCA’s towering center Abong Camacho are tied in third place in the scoring race after both averaged 27 points in six games. The 5’10” Borja and the 6’3” Camacho have so far punctured the nets for 162 points.

Aguaguat’s Ryan Sablan and Tinian’s John Santos complete the Top 5 in scoring with averages of 25.3 and 25 points per game, respectively. Sablan has totaled 76 points in three games so far, while Santos has piled up 120 in five games.

DCCA power forward Peter Camacho, Autonomous swingman Ed Diaz, Northern Marianas College playmaker Jose Tumaquip, and DCCA lead guard Elias Rangamar complete the Top 10 in scoring for the 2008 season of the government-business league.

Camacho has scored 86 points in four games to average 21.5. Diaz has totaled 61 in three to norm 20.3, while Tumaquip and Rangamar have recorded 81 and 97 markers to average 20.25 and 19.4 points, respectively.

Tinian’s J.R. Reyes (77 points in four games, 19.25 average), Department of Corrections’ Luis Iguel (93 in five, 18.6) and Jeff Quitugua (92 in five, 18.4), and Bank of Guam teammates James Villacrusis (108 in six, 18) and Randy Pelisamen (116 in seven, 16.6) round out the Top 15 in the scoring race for the 2008 PTI Inter-Government Business Basketball League.

Sponsor Pacific Telecommunications, Inc. didn’t have any player land in the Top 15 as the team has only played two games so far in the competition due to scheduling snafus. The scoring is based on players who have seen action in three games or more, according to league coordinator Joey Dela Cruz.

As far as team standings go, PTI is on top with a 2-0 win-loss card followed by BoG Express at 6-1, NMC at 3-1, and DCCA at 4-2.

Autonomous, which is made up of players from last year’s champion team Office of Public Auditor, is at 2-1, DOC is at 3-2, while Tinian is at .500 with a 3-3 slate. Legislature (2-5), Aguaguat (1-3), Department of Public Works/Procurement & Supply (1-4), Commonwealth Ports Authority (0-2), and Department of Public Safety make up the rest of the standings.