MBI/Anchor wallops Top Development

Micronesian Brokers, Inc./Anchor waltzed past Top Development, Inc., 106-80, during the curtain-raiser in the 2014 JP World Corp. Customer Appreciation Basketball League last Friday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

MBI/Anchor improved to a 4-1 record to remain in second place in the team standings behind the unbeaten Shirley’s Coffee Shop, while Top Development is still at the bottom half of the nine-squad field with its 0-4 record. McDonald’s (3-1), Public School System (3-2), Joeten (3-2), CUC (2-2), Saipan Ice (1-3), and Docomo Pacific (0-5) complete the field.

Three MBI/Anchor players scored 20-plus points to tow the team to the easy win. Melvin Capalad fired 25 points, while Justin Zapanta and Ivan Devero chipped in 22 points. Angelo Fernando was the fourth MBI/Anchor player to break in double figures as he reported back for duty after a bad fall in their loss to Joeten a few weeks ago and scored 11 markers.

MBI/Anchor led right from the get-go, leaving Top Development no chance to pull off an upset and end its slide. Devero started the engine for MBI/Anchor dropping 10 points. Zapanta added 8 to give MBI an early double-digit advantage after the first 10 minutes of play, 27-16.

The lead ballooned to 20 by halftime, 37-37, as Capalad joined the scoring surge in the second quarter, knocking in 8 points, with 6 of them coming from downtown. Zapanta was still on target in the second canto, contributing 10 more markers, while Devero tallied 6.

MBI/Anchor kept its safe distance all throughout the second half, as Top Development did not have enough players to overhaul the big deficit. Top Development suited up for the match with only six players and relied heavily on young gun Raymond Velasco.

Velasco led all scorers with his 30 points and although three of his teammates also hit double figures, most of these baskets were made when MBI had the game in the bag. Allen Reyes finished with 18 points, while Jomel Pollisco and Sefich Lorenzo posted 14 and 10, respectively.

Meanwhile, details of Public School System’s win over Docomo in the second game last Friday will be reported in Saipan Tribune’s Tuesday issue.

MBI/Anchor 106 –Capalad 25, Zapanta 25, Devero 22, Fernando 11, Cordero 9, Viola 5, Garcia 4, Trajano 3.

TDI 80 – Velasco 30, Reyes 18, Pollisco 14, Lorenzo 10, Arreza 6, Pangelinan 2.

Scoring by quarters: 27-16, 57-37, 78-60, 106-80.