Kagman shatters Dream Team’s bid for clean slate

The Kagman Sparks’ Mike Muna challenges the shot of Dream Team’s Jason Palacios during the third quarter of their U21 game in the BANMI youth caging last Wednesday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Down by as much as 14 in the third period, 44-30, the Sparks went on a 27-10 scoring surge in the payoff canto to keep its unbeaten record in two games, while denying Dream Team’s bid for back-to-back victories. Kagman won its season debut last week against Rollers A, 57-54, while Dream Team came from an impressive 79-49 victory over Star Magic before collapsing against the Sparks in the lone game last Wednesday.

Dream Team stretched a four-point halftime lead, 30-26, to double digits with Max Camacho and Dixon Kwon teaming up in several fastbreak baskets in the third period. Kwon scored 8 of his 12 points in the third, while Camacho chipped in 6.

Kagman was held to two field goals in the first half of the third canto before closing out strong and cutting the deficit to single digit at the end of that period, 39-48. Jason Lampkin brought the Sparks back into the game after drilling 6 of the team’s last 10 markers.

The Kagman bigman picked up where he left off in the fourth canto, adding 8 more points, while Jonathan Santos delivered the killer blows, as he nailed the Sparks’ last 7 markers and finished the fourth quarter alone with 11 points. Santos’ output was more than the entire Dream Team’s production, as the latter was held to 10 points and had no player making more than 2 points in the fourth-quarter meltdown.

Santos and Lampkin top-scored for Kagman with 22 points each, while Shane De Leon Guerrero paced Dream Team with his 15 points, but was limited to 2 points in the final canto. Kwon and Richard Ada added 12 apiece.

Inter-gov’t caging opening Monday
Meanwhile, the 2014 IT&E-DYS Inter Government Basketball League will unfurl this Monday at the Ada gym.

Eight teams will be playing in the league that will have its opening ceremony at 6:45pm. The list includes Public School System, Commonwealth Health Center, Commonwealth Utilities Corp., Northern Marianas Sports Association, Judiciary, Department of Public Safety, Feds, and the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs. Participating squads are asked to attend the opening rites as draws for the first two games will take place after the ceremony.

Kagman Sparks 66 – Jo. Santos 22, Lampkin 22, Muna 8, Butters 6, Je Santos 4, Yu 2, Palino 2.

Dream Team 58 – S. Deleon Guerrero 15, Kwon 12, Ada 12, Camacho 8, Ito 5, Sablan 2, Palacios 2, D. Deleon Guerrero 2.

Scoring by quarters: 10-17, 26-30, 39-48, 66-58.