Ol’Aces rebound from loss, nip Hi-5

While Kagman endured a pair of losses, defending champion Ol’Aces bounced back after a recent upset to the former by dropping Hi-5, 48-43, as the Saipan Rotary Club Youth Basketball League U19 season continued Friday night at the TSL Sports Complex in Gualo Rai.

As for the shorthanded Kagman five, they were routed by the CK Blazers, 36-64, on Wednesday and then came up just short against NMC Proa in a heartbreaker on Friday’s nightcap, 52-53.

The U19 season continues tonight with Proa taking on Rollers Basketball Club’s Rollers 2 squad at 5pm, in Gualo Rai.

On Friday’s opener, Ol’Aces’ Juan Maratita and Chris Mizer teamed up for 14 points in the opening eight minutes as their team doubled up Hi-5, 16-8, in the first quarter.

Hi-5 made a stand in the second period and pulled within a possession, 23-26, at halftime. Hi-5’s Don Hockett scrambled for 10 points in the first half.

Both teams traded baskets back and forth in the third quarter as Hi-5 hung around, but trailed, 31-34, heading into the final period.

Hi-5’s Ariel Urbano scored six quick points in the fourth quarter, but Ol’Aces’ Maratita showed up in the clutch with eight markers, half of which came from the stripe. Mizer also provided four insurance points to secure the victory. The Ol’Aces duo combined for 40 points in the match, while Hi-5’s Hockett came out with 20 in defeat.

In the second game, Kagman managed an early 16-14 lead in the first quarter, as Frank Mettao and Jiovanni Olopai delivered four points apiece.

Olopai lit up for nine more points in the second quarter but despite his effort, the homesteaders went down by two, 31-29, at the break.

The match tightened even more in the third period as Kagman clung to just a one-point advantage, 41-40, heading into the final canto.

Kagman’s Chico Kaipat came off the bench and added eight big points in the third quarter.

This matchup went all the way down to the final second and NMC’s bench may have been the deciding factor.

NMC’s defense stepped up big in the fourth quarter as they clawed its way on top.

Proa contained Kaipat to only a handful in the clutch and found a way to get the job done.

Paul Samson led Proa with 17 points, while Kagman’s Kaipat tallied 19 in the loss.

In Wednesday’s match, the Blazers’ Travis Eughbanks heated up early for eight points as his team built an early 13-9 lead in the opening period.

Six points from Kagman’s Chico Kaipat helped make it a one-possession deficit, 22-25, at the half.

Kagman’s shooters went cold after the pause, connecting only on a pair of three pointers as the Blazers shot ahead, 45-31, heading into crunch time.

The Blazers never looked back and contained Kagman to just five points on offense in the final period.

Blazers’ Brandon Aulerio and Patrick Torres tallied 17 points apiece in the onslaught; Kagman’s Kaipat managed 11 on the short end.

[B]FRIDAY

First Game

Ol’Aces 48[/B] – Maratita 24, Mizer 16, Dillay 4, Taylor 2.

[B]Hi-5 43[/B] – Hockett 20, Urbano 10, Manibusan 5, Sablan 4, Tadifa 4.
[B] Scoring by quarters:[/B] 16-8, 26-23, 34-31, 48-43.
[B] Second Game

NMC Proa 53[/B] – Samson 17, Madreo 11, Aguilar 8, G. Habijan 8, J. Habijan 5, Cruzat 4

[B]Kagman 52[/B] – Kaipat 19, Olopai 18, Mettao 11, K. Cepeda 2.
[B] Scoring by quarters:[/B] 14-16, 29-31, 40-41, 53-52.
[B] WEDNESDAY

CK Blazers 64[/B] – Aulerio 17, Torres 17, Eughbanks 12, Benavente 6, Kaipat 4, Ray 4, Camacho 2, Tenorio 2.

[B]Kagman 36[/B] –Kaipat 11, K. Cepeda 9, Olopai 8, Mettao 6, E. Cepeda 2.

[B]Scoring by quarters: [/B]13-9, 25-22, 45-31, 64-36.