Manta Rays finish first in boys caging

The Saipan Southern High School Manta Rays avenged its first-round loss against the Marianas High School Dolphins with an impressive 77-63 victory at the Marianas High School Gymnasium last Wednesday that locked up the No. 1 seeding in the postseason of the Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization boys varsity basketball regular season.

SSHS finished with a stout 7-1 win-loss record, while MHS and Kagman High School share identical 5-2 cards.

In addition, SSHS also bested MHS in the junior varsity match, 46-33.

The junior Manta Rays notched its fifth win in seven games, while the junior Dolphins fell for the first time in six games.

Back on Monday, the Kagman High School varsity Ayuyus screamed past the Grace Christian Academy Eagles, 75-42. GCA finished the year with a 2-6 slate.

Meanwhile, KHS also clipped a feisty GCA crew in the junior pairing, 28-25. Both teams left the match with identical 3-3 records.

On Wednesday, SSHS worked out to a 13-10 lead in the opening 10 minutes off six points by Jimmy Tudela.

The Manta Rays then buried a pair of late 3-pointers that stretched it to a 39-32 cushion at halftime.

SSHS’ Jack Aranda and Jaymark De Guzman combined for 11 points as seven different Manta Rays chipped in on the surge.

MHS was living or dying by the three-ball and came up dry in the third after nailing four treys in the second quarter to keep within range.

Aranda paced the Manta Rays with seven points in the third quarter as they pulled away, 58-45, heading into the final period.

The Manta Rays maintained roughly a 10-point lead for the remainder of the contest.

The Dolphins flirted with a comeback on a couple of occasions, but SSHS handled the pressure well in the clutch.

Aranda led three teammates in double figures with 19, while MHS’ John Darag topped the field with 20 markers in a losing effort.

In the junior paring, SSHS got the jump on the junior Dolphins from the tip and managed a 10-7 lead in the first quarter and maintained the edge in the second period as the count shifted, 18-15, at the half.

Emerson Feria led the junior Manta Rays with six points at the mid-point of the match.

Feria and Daniel Camacho then added four points apiece in the third period and marched ahead, 31-24, heading into the fourth quarter.

In the end, SSHS’ Feria tallied nine markers in the clutch to seal the deal.

He finished with a game-high 19 points, while Jacob Palacios led MHS with only eight points.

In Monday’s varsity match, Joshua Jones heated up early with 10 points in the first quarter as the Ayuyus pounced on GCA early, 22-10.

KHS then trudged ahead, 42-14, and stuffed the Eagles to just four free throws in the second period as six different Ayuyus contributed over on the offensive end.

The game was pretty much out of reach for GCA by the start of the second half and it only got worse.

KHS kept the pedal on the floor and pulled away, 60-26, heading into the final period.

Jones carried the torch with 24 points in the game, while GCA’s Kim scrambled for 17 in the onslaught.

Then in the junior tiff, GCA was doubled up, 4-8, out of the gate, but trimmed it to a one-point deficit, 11-12, at intermission.

The Eagles continued to keep pace with KHS and locked it at 18-all with a quarter to go.

GCA’s James Libut delivered four points at crunch time, but KHS’ Cedric Ada and Angelo Racaido answered with three apiece that left the edge with the Ayuyus at the buzzer.

Jonathan Santos led KHS with 10 points, while GCA’s Dong Ha Lee finished with 8 on the short end.

The MISO boys caging double-elimination postseason is scheduled for March 9 and 10. Details will be released tomorrow.

[B]WEDNESDAY

VARSITY

SSHS 77[/B] – Aranda 18, Mizer 13, Tudela 13, De Guzman 11, Alegre 8, Salem 6, Mariano 4, Escalada 2, Hofchneider 2.
[B] MHS 63[/B] – Darag 20, Caro 10, Dela Rosa 9, Maranan 6, Francisco 5, Moran 4, Lacsina 2, Ogumoro 2.

[B]Scoring by quarters:[/B] 13-10, 39-32, 58-45, 77-63.

[B]JUNIOR VARSITY

SSHS 46[/B] – Feria 19, Camacho 8, Javier 7, Park 6, Kintaro 2, Palacios 2, Acopiado 2.

[B]MHS 33[/B] –Palacios 8, Manalili 5, Lansang 4, Aguilar 4, Dai 3, W Camacho 2, Cayading 2, Yap 2, DLGuerrero 2, Capuyon 1.

[B]Scoring by quarters:[/B] 10-7, 18-15, 31-24, 46-33.
[B] MONDAY

VARSITY

KHS 75[/B] – Jones 24, Mettao 14, B Santos 9, Subalao 8, Nerro 8, Bornilla 6, Taitano 4, Butters 2, Lampkin 2.

[B]GCA 42[/B] – Kim 17, A. Salas 14, Borja 4, Libut 2, Reyes 2, Sugue 2, J. Salas 1.

[B]Scoring by Quarters:[/B] 22-10, 42-14, 60-26, 75-42.

[B]JUNIOR

VARSITY

KHS 28[/B] – Jo. Santos 10, Ada 7, Racaido 5, Je. Santos 4.

[B]GCA 25[/B] – Lee 8, Smithee 6, Del Rosario 3, Libut 4, Reyes 2, Sugue 2.

[B]Scoring by quarters:[/B] 8-4, 12-11, 18-18, 28-25.