Eagles break into win column; Rays prevail

Grace Christian Academy notched its first win of the season after defeating Mount Carmel School, 67-57, during their varsity game in the 2011-2012 Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization Boys Basketball League last Friday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

The Eagles’ first taste of victory came after three dismal losses, while winless MCS endured its fifth straight loss.

The Eagles broke out to a quick 20-7 lead in the opening 10 minutes of the duel with Angelo Salas and Si Woo Kim combining for 13 markers in the early surge.

Teams traded baskets in the second quarter and GCA maintained control at halftime, 35-21. Knights center Thomas Kautz scrambled for six points to spark his team’s offense, but MCS could not make enough stops on the other end.

Mt. Carmel did come out swinging after the break and pulled within three possessions, 38-45, heading into the final period. The Knights defense finally came alive in the third quarter and held GCA to just 10 points, while Reynald Calbatica and Angelo Montes teamed up for 13 markers in the comeback.

But in the end, Salas, the team’s captain, held it together for the Eagles with eight points down the homestretch. Salas also received seven points from Moon Bin Hong.

Kautz delivered 10 points in the clutch, but was nowhere to be found on the other end and the Knight’s defense crumbled late in the game.

Salas topped three other Eagles in double figures with 22 points, while Kautz managed 16 on the short end.

Meanwhile, Saipan Southern High School’s junior Manta Rays blew out the Saipan International School Geckos, 55-17, in the junior varsity match.

Southern improved to a 3-1 record, while SIS remains winless after three tries.

The Rays worked out an early 13-7 advantage in the first quarter off the seven points of Emerson Feria. SIS struggled controlling possession of the ball and was held to just a pair of free throws in the second period as the Rays trudged ahead at halftime, 23-9.

The Rays smelled blood coming out of the pause and things went from bad to worse for the junior Geckos in the third quarter. SIS was stuffed to just one bucket in the period, while the Rays piled up a 37-11 margin, heading into the fourth quarter

Feria added six more points in the payoff period and the Rays cruised to their third win. James Kintaro came off the bench for Southern and scored eight points to wedge in the dagger in the fourth quarter. Feria led the group with 15 points, while SIS frontman Chris Cepeda was contained to just seven markers.

GCA 67[/B] – A Salas 22, Hong 16, Libut 11, Kim 10, J. Salas 8.
[B] MCS 57[/B] – Kautz 16, Calbatica 12, Montes 12, Saludez 6, Taguchi 5, Igitol 4, Pamintuan 2.
[B] Scoring by quarters:[/B] 20-7, 35-21, 45-38, 67-57.
[B] Junior Varsity Game

SSHS 55[/B] – Feria 15, Javier 12, Camacho 9, Kintaro 8, Ferrer 5, Reyes 4, Huertes 2.