Settsu, Rays rule Friendship tourney

Japan’s Settsu Red Impulse and Saipan Southern High School’s Manta Rays downed separate foes yesterday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium to top the Settsu-Saipan Friendship Basketball Tournament.

Settsu took the girls’ 14-and-under crown after defeating the MISO Junior Varsity All-Stars, 61-44, while the Rays clobbered the MHS Dolphins, 106-72, to notch the boys 16-and-under title.

The visiting Japanese team from Osaka saved the best for last, outgunning the MISO All-Stars in the fourth quarter, 20-7, en route to a 17-point win. Settsu was unbeaten in the two-day tournament, as it also walloped Hopwood Junior High School, 93-42, Thursday.

The title game between Settsu and the MISO All-Stars was a seesaw battle in the first three periods. Settsu led by as much as four in the first, then the All-Stars took the lead midway before the game ended in a deadlock after 10 minutes of play, 13-all.

In the second period, Settsu was held to nine points, allowing the All-Stars to take a 25-22 halftime lead. Settsu regained the lead in the third, 41-37, with Shiho Tokimoto making 10 of the team’s 19 markers in that canto, and Hirai Nakamori adding seven.

Settsu then broke away in the fourth quarter, as it showed good ball movement, played a fast-paced game, and shut out the All-Stars in the first three minutes of the payoff canto. A Nakamori banked triple from the top of the key gave the Japanese their biggest lead, 61-42, entering the final two minutes of the game.

Nakamori finished with 16 points, while Tokimoto top-scored for Settsu with 21 markers.

Lia Rangamar led the All-Stars with 13 markers.

In the boys’ 16-and-under finals, the Rays leaned on their 30-point production in the first and second quarters to seize control of the game early and ease past the Dolphins.

Southern was comfortably ahead by 29 points at halftime, 60-31, and MHS failed to make headway in the second half, allowing the Rays to take home the perpetual trophy.

Tristan Ecalnea had 23 markers for the Rays, while John Paul Villanueva and Adrian Palacios also finished in double figures with 19 and 14 points, respectively.
[B] Boys 16 Finals[/B]

SSHS 106 – Ecalnea 23, Villanueva 19, A. Palacios 14, M. Palacios 8, Cadiang 8, Wesley 7, Sablan 5, Bicera 2, Ferrer 2.

MHS 72 – Duatin 19, Crisostimo 10, Sula 9, Manalili 8, Chan 7, Hidalgo 6, Ambalan 4, Sarmiento 3.

Scoring by quarters: 30-19, 60-32, 79-52, 106-72

Settsu 61 – Tokimoto 21, Nakamori 16, Sakai 10, Yauchi 5, Nakano 4, Aoki 2, Shiokawa 1.

MISO All-Stars 44 – Rangamar 14, Palero 11, Mizutani 8, Jetley 4, Joseph 4, Duenas 2.

Scoring by quarters: 13-all, 22-25, 41-37, 61-44.