Kunoichi downs Party Rockers in U15

Kunoichi won the battle of all-female teams in the 2011 Saipan Rotary Club Youth Basketball League after beating the Party Rockers, 54-47, last Saturday at the TSL Sports Complex.

The Party Rockers lost the match despite taking a promising 17-6 lead in the opening period. Rachel Abrams paced the Party Rockers with six points in the first quarter.

Kunoichi rallied back in the second period and pulled within four at the half, 23-27. Lalaine Pagarao led the surge with six points in the second canto. Party Rockers’ Abrams managed seven more markers in the second, but Kunoichi’s full court press threw a wrench in their game plan.

Kunoichi stuck to its press after the break and opened up a 44-38 lead, heading into the fourth quarter. Pagarao added eight markers in the third period.

Party Rockers’ Jeraldine Castillo mustered 12 points in their last ditch effort and did not receive much support from his teammates, allowing Kunoichi to preserve the lead and grab the win.

Pagarao led all scorers with 20 points, while Castillo finished with 17 in the loss.
[B] MBI Rollers 32, Angels 30[/B]

In the second game last Saturday, the MBI Rollers also won in the fourth quarter.

The Angels led for majority of the match and almost pulled off an upset over the older and more experienced MBI crew if C.J. Morales’ triple at the buzzer went in.

Morales earlier buried a trio of triples in the opening eight minutes to put the Angels on top, 9-8.

Then the Angles second stringers took the floor and kept the advantage at halftime, 17-15. Adrian DeLuna led MBI team with seven points in the first half.

Morales returned in the third quarter and added seven points, as the Angels maintained a slim 26-24 lead, heading into the final stanza.

MBI neutralized Morales in the fourth quarter and held him to four points. Morales had a chance to redeem himself in the closing seconds when he had a good look at the basket from the top of the key, but he missed the desperation trey.

Morales finished 20 points, outscoring MBI duo DeLuna and Zion Almor, who nailed seven points apiece.

[B]670 Rollers 58, Ol’Aces 34[/B]

In Saturday’s opener, 670 Rollers drained four long balls to build an early 16-10 lead en route to 58-34 win over the Ol’Aces.

670 Rollers’ Prince Factor hit three triples for 11 points in the first quarter. Then the Rollers extended the lead to 12 at halftime, 28-16. The Rollers converted four more three pointers in the third quarter to put the game out of reach.

Factor’s 11 points led the Rollers, while Aces’ Chioni Dela Cruz managed eight in the loss.

[B]First Game

670 Rollers 58[/B] – P. Factor 11, Camacho 10, Lansang 8, Ano 6, Malonzo 6, Espinosa 4, Iglesias 3, Cayading 3, Pangelinan 3, E Feria 2, Floresca 2.
[B] Ol’Aces 34[/B] – Dela Cruz 8, Tadea 6, Ellama 6, Pecson 6, Sabino 5, Alfred 3.
[B] Scoring by quarters:[/B] 16-10, 28-16, 42-22, 58-34.

[B]Second Game

MBI 32[/B] – Almor 7, DeLuna 7, Cenir 4, Darag 4, Cano 3, Rios 3, Cadua 2, Reyes 2

[B]Angels 30[/B] – Morales 20, Francisco 4, Abobo 2, Feria 2, Amog 1, A Factor 1

[B]Scoring by quarters:[/B] 8-9, 15-17, 24-26, 32-30.

[B]Third Game

Kunoichi 54[/B] – Pagarao 20, Mendoza 12, Williams 8, Mesa 6, Pialug 4, Alegre 2, Arboliras 2.

[B]Party Rockers 47 [/B]– Castillo 17, Abrams 13, Gozon 11, Lebria 4, Johnson 2.
[B] Scoring by quarters:[/B] 6-17, 23-27, 44-38, 54-47