MCS, Agape get Top 2 spots

Agape Christian School’s Mac Guintu gets away with a fastbreak layup during the third quarter of their game against Seventh Day Adventist in the boys middle school division of the private school league yesterday at the ACS court in Middle Road. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Mt. Carmel School swept the regular season, while Agape Christian School is poised to finish second in the team standings in the boys middle school division in the 2016-2017 Commonwealth Coalition of Private School Association Basketball League.

The Knights wrapped up the double-round robin competition with an impressive 12-0 record following a 38-18 rout of Saipan International School yesterday at the SIS court in As Lito, while Agape improved to a 9-2 record after a similar lopsided victory against Seventh Day Adventist, 43-11, at the ACS turf in Middle Road.

With its immaculate mark, MCS automatically advanced to the semifinals, while Agape is likely to face the last place team in the quarterfinal round. The Torchbearers will play their last game in the regular season today as they take on the winless Grace Christian Academy. With the Eagles yet to enter the win column, pending the results of their match against Saipan Community School yesterday, the former may face the second-seeded Agape in the quarterfinals that will start on March 7. The other Round of 8 pairings are No. 4 versus No. 5 teams and No. 3 against No. 6 and designation of these spots have yet to be determined as there are a couple of make-up games left in the regular season.

Meanwhile, Agape’s 33-point win came after a close victory against Marianas Baptist Academy last Tuesday, 28-25.

Against the MBA Tigers, the Torchbearers scored 9 points each in the first and third quarters to build enough cushion, going into the final canto. Agape led by 23-20 after the third canto and then matched MBA’s 5 points in the fourth to hang on to the win. Silas and Tychicus Xu combined for 17 points to help Agape beat MBA again.

Versus SDA, the Xu siblings along with Mac Guintu teamed up in handing the Torchbearers a 20-4 halftime edge en route to their ninth win.

Mt. Carmel duplicated Agape’s two straight victories this week as the Knights, before topping SIS, also prevailed against SDA last Monday, 36-16.

The Knights are highly favored to make a return trip to the finals as they need to win on March 8 (semis round) to have a title to defense their middle school title. MCS pulled off a come-from-behind 40-38 victory over Agape in last year’s finale.

Despite the advantage, MCS coach Francis San Nicolas said there’s no room for complacency in the playoffs.

“We have to work harder because other teams are improving, too and you’ll never know what’s going to happen in the playoffs. We have to play wiser and polish our plays,” said San Nicolas.