CNMI 1, Guam will contest girls title

  CNMI 1 took the second finals seat in the girls 17-and-under Micronesian Basketball Tournament after thumping sister team CNMI 2, 82-24, yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The Commonwealth’s junior national team got off to a jackrabbit start and nearly prevented CNMI 2 from scoring.

With Glorily Williams punching in 8 and Jaime Mendoza adding 6 points, CNMI 1 took the life out of their counterparts and led 26-2 after one quarter.

CNMI 2 managed 9 points in the second period, but it didn’t do to well on the defensive end, allowing CNMI 1 to double them up and as a result they trailed 44-11 at the break.

CNMI 1’s Keolani Rios waxed hot in the third, connecting on two 3-pointers en route to scoring 10 points, while Williams was again at it firing 6, as CNMI 1 opened up a 67-13 spread heading into the fourth stanza.

It was all over but the shouting, as both coaches emptied their benches in the fourth. CNMI 2 managed to narrow the gap, as CNMI 1 only outscored them by 4 in the last 10 minutes of the contest but the nonetheless the final score was still one-sided.

Williams led the victors with 18 points, while Rios and Mendoza added 14 and 10, respectively.

Chave Alipio led CNMI 2 in the loss with 8, while Marlene Lumbao chipped in 6.

In the earlier girls semifinals, Guam blanked Tinian in the third quarter en route to a 101-18 domination of Tinian, also at the Ada Gym.

The undefeated powerhouse team led from the get-go, growing a 18-5 spread after the opening quarter to a 54-11 lead at the break.

Guam then went on a 24-0 tear in the third, effectively shutting down Tinian’s offense and having their way on both sides of the floor.

Tinian managed to score 7 points in the fourth, but not before allowing 21 points to the U.S. territory as Guam won by a laugher.

Kali Benavente led a parade of Guam players in double figures with 17, while Regene Palacios was relatively quiet as defenders swarmed at her like bees, totaling only 10.

The CNMI 1-Guam girls championship game is set for 2pm today. The battle for third between CNMI 2 and Tinian is set earlier at 10am.

Guam 101 – Benavente 19, Pangilinan 17, Castro 14, Bunto 12, Quitugua 11, San Nicolas 9, Mendiola 8, Duenas 5, Yeban 4, Rupley 2.

Tinian 18 – Palacios 10, Borja 4, Nededog 2, Aldan 3.

Scoring by quarters: 18-5, 54-11, 80-11, 101-18.

CNMI 1 82 – Williams 14, Rios 14, Mendoza 10, Samson 8, Kautz 8, Lebria 7, Gozon 7, R. Kautz 4, Echavez 2, Ito 2, Abrams 2.

CNMI 2 24 – Alipio 8, Lumbao 6, Francisco 2, Santiago 2, Abantao 2, Garon 2, Canedo 1, Samson 1.

Scoring by quarters: 26-2, 44-11, 67-13, 82-24.