Martech-Ol’Aces advances to finals after routing The Game 

Martech-Ol’Aces’ Douglas “Spyder” Schmidt drives against The Game’s Arnold Arellano in their open division semis game in the 2nd Annual Saipan Centennial Lions Basketball League last Wednesday night at the Civic Center Basketball Court.(MARK RABAGO)

Martech-Ol’Aces gets another crack at New Changming Market after booking the last finals berth in the open division of the 2nd Annual Saipan Centennial Lions Basketball League following its 87-73 rout of The Game last Wednesday night at the Civic Center Basketball Court.

New Changming last Monday advanced to the championship after holding on against a fiery fourth-quarter rally by Martech-Ol’Aces, 80-76.

Martech-Ol’Aces gave The Game a steady diet of its inside-outside game and took a 24-20 lead after the first quarter.

Then using its dreaded full-court press in the second, Martech-Ol’Aces ballooned their lead to 44-34, as Douglas “Spyder” Schmidt got into the passing lane and stole the ball several times before converting them to uncontested fastbreak points. 

Already short on players, The Game also lost forward D.J. Ong to another dislocated shoulder in the first half, making its uphill climb even harder for the rest of the game. 

Martech-Ol’Aces continued their attack against The Game by pounding it to Kelvin Fitial and Jack Lizama in the third and with the two centers dominating inside they entered the payoff period with a 67-51 advantage.

The Game started the fourth and final quarter with a sense of urgency and led by Greg Deleon Guerrero rallied and cut their deficit to just 68-75 with little over five minutes to go in the ballgame.

Martech-Ol’Aces, however, would reply emphatically going on a 9-3 run starting with a booming triple by Preston Basa. Fitial and Aiferson Atan also made quick fastbreak layups to make it 84-71, forcing The Game to sue for time with 2:04 left in the contest. 

The Game scored 2 more points and Martech-Ol’Aces made the sporting move not to attempt a shot in the dying seconds as they prepare to face New Changming in the finals.

Basa and Fitial led Martech-Ol’Aces with 17 points apiece, while Schmidt, who didn’t play in their semis loss against New Changming, and Lizama added 14 points each. 

Deleon Guerrero was spectacular in defeat with 22 points, while Greg Sablan added 18 markers in the loss. Big man Arnold Arellano struggled all night long hounded by twin towers Fitial and Lizama and wound up with only 6 markers.

Martech-Ol’Aces’ older brothers in Ol’Aces took on Blue Eagle/Royal Pacific for the second finals slot in the masters division last night. 

The finals of both the masters and open divisions will be played next week, according to SCLC caging commissioner Sonny Ebuen.

Martech-Ol’Aces 84 – P. Basa 17, Fitial 17, Schmidt 14, Lizama 14, Kabiriel 11, T. Basa 5, Atan 6, Libuw 2.
The Game 73 – Deleon Guerrero 22, G. Sablan 18, J. Sablan 9, Mizutani 9, Arellano 6, Natividad 5, Ong 4.
Scoring by quarters: 24-20, 44-34, 67-51, 84-73.