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Dolphins hand Rays first loss
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Posted on Nov 27 2008
Undefeated no more.
Marianas High School pulled off a 71-70 win over Saipan Southern High School in the 2008-2009 Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization Basketball League Tuesday night at the MHS Gymnasium to hand the Rays their first loss of the season.
The Rays swept the first round of a three-round regular season, won their first game in the second round, before bowing to the Dolphins.
The Dolphins led by as much as 21 points in the first half, 42-21, but the Rays worked their way back into the game in the third period before losing steam in the final canto.
Baskets from Tim Sula, Romulo Sarmiento, and Jack Crisostimo in the fourth quarter allowed the Dolphins to withstand the Rays’ rally.
A 14-point explosion from Tristan Ecalnea in the third quarter move Southern within three, 53-56, entering the fourth period.
Ecalnea continued to lead the Rays recovery, until Sula, Sarmiento, and Crisostimo’s timely baskets thwarted Southern’s repeated comeback bids.
The win ended the Dolphins’ two-game losing skid and improved their record to 3-3. Southern still leads the league with a 4-1 slate.
The Dolphins were off to a jackrabbit start, leading at 22-4, after the first period.
Crisostimo anchored MHS’ good start, firing eight points in the first period, while Norman Chan and Greg Duatin chipped in four apiece.
Mark Palacios and Reinhold Ferrer were the only two players who scored for Southern in the first period.
The Rays picked up the scoring in the second period with Ecalnea nailing eight points. But Duatin was there to keep the Dolphins’ big lead, scoring nine in the second quarter, which ended with MHS ahead by 19, 42-23.
The Rays launched repeated comeback bids in the second half, but the Dolphins always found ways to widen the gap and preserve the win.
Crisostimo and Sula top-scored for MHS with 16 points apiece, while Chan contributed 11.
Ecalnea led all scorers with 28 points, while Melvin Cadiang added 11.
[B]
MHS 71[/B]—Sula 16, Crisostimo 16, Chan 11, Duatin 8, Manalili 8, Sarmiento 6, Feria 3, Liberato 2, Hidalgo 2.
[B]
SSHA 70[/B]—Ecalnea 28, Cadiang 11, Salem 8, Wesley 8, A. Palacios 7, M. Palacios 4, Ferrer 2.
