McDonald’s ends skid, tops Saipan Ice

McDonald’s Charlie Achas pulls up for a shot against Saipan Ice’s Joel Fernandez during the fourth quarter of their game in the JP World caging last Monday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

McDonald’s wrapped up its regular season campaign in the 2014 JP World Corp. Customer Appreciation Basketball League on a winning note after downing Saipan Ice & Water, 90-79, last Monday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

McDonald’s finished the round-robin elimination with an even 4-4 record and snapped its four-game losing skid. The fast food chain won its first three games in the nine-team field and lost its next four before regaining its bearing in its last game in the elimination round to notch the No. 5 spot in the team standings and advance to the playoffs against fourth-ranked Micronesian Brokers, Inc/Anchor.

Saipan Ice is out of the playoffs as it fell to a 2-6 mark and placed No. 7 in the leaderboard. Only the Top 6 teams will make the cut with the Top 2 automatically moving into the semifinals and the next four going through the first round of the playoffs.

Despite facing elimination as early as last week, Saipan Ice put up a gallant stand against McDonald’s as the former showed up for the match with only five players, engaged its foe to a close game, and even took the lead on several occasions in the second and third periods and early part of the fourth behind Jerome Norita’s hot shooting.

Norita, who finished with a season-high 55 points, scored 12 of Saipan Ice’s 16 points in the third period to give his team a 64-62 cushion, entering the final quarter.

The game remained close in the first two minutes of the fourth period and was last tied at 70-all, before McDonald’s went on a pivotal 18-4 run to finish off Saipan Ice. Siblings Mike and McLain Achas and Gil Gapor teamed up in the rally, while three others contributed at least one basket apiece in the scoring spree to end Saipan Ice’s hopes of scoring an upset.

Mike Achas went on to top-score for McDonald’s with his 26 points, while McLain chipped in 17. Three other McDonald’s players hit double figures with Tim Deleon Guerrero adding 13 and Kenneth Quemado and Gapor tallying 12 each.

Treat Kaipat backed up Norita with his 17 points and was the only other Saipan Ice player to score in twin digits, as Vince Pangelinan logged only 4 markers and Joel Fernandez and Kowlani Manoj gained 2 points each.

Kaipat and Norita were the only players to light up the board for Saipan Ice in the first period with the latter dropping 15 and the former adding 5 to keep the team afloat, 20-23. Mike Achas and Deleoen Guerrero traded baskets with the two Siapan Ice gunners to give McDonald’s the lead.

The Norita and Kaipat show continued in the second canto as they combined for 28 points and outgunned the entire McDonald’s crew to put Saipan Ice in front at the break, 48-47. Norita then got a little help from Fernandez and Manoj in the third to retain the slim lead. Saipan Ice eventually lost the driver’s seat as Norita began missing several shots in the fourth and help from Kaipat did not come, while McDonald’s got a lot from its starters and bench warmers. Kaipat was held to a free throw in the fourth period, while Norita muffed at least seven shots before drilling Saipan Ice’s last three baskets. Pangelinan scored Saipan Ice’s two other field goals.

McDonald’s 90 – Mi. Achas 26, Mc. Achas 17, Deleon Guerrero 13, Quemado 12, Gapor 12, Rigua 6, C. Achas 4.

Saipan Ice 79 – Norita 55, Kaipat 17, Pangelinan 4, Fernandez 2, Manoj 2.

Scoring by quarters: 23-20, 47-48, 64-62, 90-79.