Eucon stuns Kagman in MISO caging

Eucon International School handed Kagman High School its first loss of the season after cruising to a 63-57 victory in their varsity game in the 2013-2014 Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization Boys Basketball League last Monday night at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

Team captain Allen Yu led the Blazers’ upset of the Ayuyus, as he sizzled for a game-high 39 points. Yu’s hot shooting gave Eucon its second win in four games and snapped Kagman’s two-game winning streak.

Yu’s guns were blazing right in the first quarter, as he scored 12 points, including 9 of Eucon’s last 11 markers in that canto, which ended with the Blazers on top, 20-16. Yu added 5 more points in the second frame and nearly matched the total output of Kagman (7) to up their advantage to 7 at the break, 30-23.

The usually active offense of the Ayuyus was a bit quiet in the second quarter with Jonathan Santos, who already made 7 markers after the opening period, scoreless in the next frame. He was then held to two field goals in the third period and Kagman drew points from only two players at the start of the second half with Jason Lampkin adding 7, allowing Eucon to stretch the margin to twin digits, 49-34.

The Blazers widened the gap despite getting only two field goals from Yu, who received the needed help from four of his teammates. Eucon went on to preserve the double-digit spread, as Yu finished what he started, capping the fourth and final quarter with a 17-point production.
Yu’s explosion in the fourth canto was enough to counter the combined efforts of Lampkin and Santos, who nailed 10 and 7 markers, respectively in that quarter.

Meanwhile, Eucon also scored an upset against Kagman in the junior varsity division, 35-32.
The Blazers stole the win after holding the Ayuyus to 5 points in the fourth quarter and drawing crucial points from Wayne Li, who made a field goal and a split free throw in the closing minute of the match. Kagman had a chance to send the game it overtime, as it had the last possession, but failed to pull up for a game-tying triple in the dying seconds, as it fumbled against Eucon’s pressure defense.

The Blazers notched the victory despite nearly going scoreless first period. Eucon converted only one free throw in the opening canto, but Kagman did not perform well either, drilling only 3 points.

The Ayuyus then picked up their scoring in the ensuing periods, earning 12 points each in the second and third to take a 27-18 lead, with only one quarter to go. Kagman eventually collapsed in the payoff canto, connecting only two field goals courtesy of Jeffery Castro and Juwan Lampkin’s basket. Lampkin also scored Kagman’s first point in the fourth, making a split charity past the halfway mark of that frame.

Kagman dropped to a 1-1 record to fell to third place in the five-team field, while Eucon improved to a 2-0 to share the lead with MHS. Saipan Southern High School (2-0) and Saipan International School (0-3) complete the standings.

Junior Varsity
Eucon 35 – Alamer 9, Pecson 8, J. Wang 6, Li 5, P. Wang 4, J. Wang 2, J. Wang 1.
KHS 32 – Castro 7, Muna 7, Jones 6, Retan 4, Lampkin 3, Tenorio 3, Aron 2.
Scoring by quarters: 1-3, 11-15,18-27, 35-32.

Varsity
Eucon 71 – Yu 39, T. Li 13, R. Wang 12, Ren 5, W. Li 2.
KHS 57 – Lampkin 22, Jo. Santos 18, J. Santos 10, Sakisat 6, Ada 1.
Scoring by quarters: 20-16, 30-23, 49-34, 71-57.