JHEM’s Garapan wins MDX debut

JHEM’s Garapan drew first blood in the 2011 MDX Amateur Radio Club Inter-Village Friendship League after slipping past G.E.C. Koblerville, 68-63, during the opening game in the Civic Center Basketball Court in Susupe last Sunday.

Behind by five after the third period, JHEM’s Garapan stole the win in the fourth quarter, outgunning Koblerville, 28-18. Matt Duenas led Garapan’s come-from-behind victory, firing 12 of his 19 points in the payoff canto, while J.R. Ngeskebei added six, including two crucial free throws in the homestretch to complete the rally.

Bannered by some of the island’s youth players, Koblerville took control of the match early, leading by five after the opening period, 17-12. The Edsel Mendoza-coached squad canned three triples in the first frame to move on top. JHEM’s Garapan also hit shots from downtown, but made only two and was held to five field goals.

Koblerville added two more treys in the second canto and Melvin Cadiang drilled 12 straight markers in the opening minutes of that period, lifting his team to a double-digit margin at the break, 36-23.

JHEM’s Garapan faced a 13-point halftime deficit, as again it connected only on five field goals in the second canto and scored only 11 points, its lowest output in a quarter.

Then at the start of the second half, JHEM’s Garapan’s shots began falling and for the first time it outscored Koblerville, 17-9, to move within five, with a full quarter to go. Six players teamed up for JHEM’s Garapan in the third quarter to bring the squad back in the match.

Koblerville’s gunners went cold in the third with only Luther Taylor making more than one field goal for the team. Cadiang, who finished with 18 points in the first half, was scoreless in the third.

Still ahead at the beginning of the fourth quarter Koblerville tried to regain its lost momentum, but the veteran players of JHEM’s Garapan and Duenas showed more poise in the end to start their bid in the MDX league on a winning note.

Besides Koblerville and JHEM’s Garapan, 13 other villages are entered in the league. The list includes Armatech Susupe, Fong’s Bakery Chalan Kanoa. Chow Queen As Lito, San Vicente Saints, Blue Haus Gualo Rai, Hawaiian Mawati Rock Dandan, Kagman Destroyers 2011, San Antonio Bud Brothers, AON Insurance Chalan Laulau , Pacific Postal Chalan Kiya, As Perdido B’Boys, San Roque Morales, and San Jose Price Costco.

Games in the MDX caging will resume this weekend with one match set for Saturday and four for Sunday.
[B] JHEM’s Garapan 68[/B] – Mat. Duenas 19, Ngeskebei 13, Alipio 8, Surima 4, Montano 4, Man. Duenas 3, Bello 2, Alejandro 2, Catalla 2, Camacho 2.