Ol’Aces nip Nationals

Junior Renguul canned a pull-up jumper with the clock winding down to lift Ol’Aces to a backbreaking 91-90 playoff win over the CNMI Nationals in the 2009 BANMI/Budweiser Basketball League Monday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The victory moved Ol’Aces to a face-off with Diamond Auto Care, while the loss eliminated the pennant champion Nationals.

The game-winning sequence started with Freddie Pelisamen collaring a rebound off Pete Iguel’s missed second free throw.

Iguel stepped onto the 15-foot line for a pair of free throws, as he drew a foul from Renguul after the former got a rebound off an Elias Rangamar’s missed undergoal stab.

Iguel had no problems with the first charity, as the ball hit nothing but the bottom of the net, giving the CNMI Nationals a 90-89 lead. Iguel then missed the second free throw and Pelisamen grabbed the rebound, with 12 seconds left on the clock.

Two Nationals defenders temporarily harassed Pelisamen from backcourt, before he was able to get the leather to Gabriel White. White dribbled to mid-court and looked at the clock, which read at six seconds. He then threw a pass to Renguul, who was left momentarily open for the game-winning jumper, as the Nationals had only Allen Moses at their last line of defense. Moses was hesitant to go after Renguul, as the latter could still make an extra pass to Peter Camacho on the opposite wing. When Moses finally decided to come closer to Renguul, the Ol’Aces shooter had already released the ball for the winning basket.

Renguul nailed the jumper with one second left in the game and there was no way the Nationals could put up a decent shot.

It was a sorry loss for the Nationals, who led by as much as 20 points in the second quarter, 36-16.

Ol’Aces had a slow start and were behind by 15 at the end of the first quarter, 9-24. They moved within nine at halftime, 39-48, behind the efforts of Camacho and Pelisamen. The duo continued to lead Ol’Aces’ offense and they seized control of the game in the third quarter, 68-61.

Ol’Aces led by as much as nine in the fourth, 78-69, before Iguel, Joemary Tumaquip, and Marvin Rabauliman anchored a Nationals’ comeback and took an 88-83 advantage, going into the last two minutes of the game.

But the Nationals failed to sustain their momentum and allowed Renguul to save the day for Ol’Aces. The Nationals played without Jericho Cruz, who was on Tinian suiting up for Hyatt in a championship game against Aqua Resort Club.

Ol’Aces will square off with Diamond tonight for the right to face Docomo in the finals on Friday.

Ol’Aces 91 – P. Camacho 36, Pelisamen 28, White 7, Rangamar 6, Renguul 6, Olaitaman 4, Omar 4.

CNMI Nationals 90 – Iguel 34, Rabauliman 24, Tumaquip 11, Johnson 9, Chariton 7, Moses 3, White 2.

Scoring by quarters: 9-15, 48-39, 68-61, 91-90.