MHS stretches win streak to five

Marianas High School?s Weslee Gabaldon manages to squeeze in a shot against two Eucon International School defenders during the fourth quarter of their varsity game in the MISO caging last Monday at the MHS Gymnasium. (ROSELYN B. MONROYO)

Marianas High School started the second round of the 2013-2014 Marianas Interscholastic Sports Association Boys Basketball League with another victory against Eucon International School, 77-57, in their varsity game last Monday at the MHS Gymnasium.

The Dolphins, who routed the Blazers in their first meeting, 82-52, reasserted their might against the latter to remain undefeated in five games and solidify its hold on the top spot in the five-team field. Eucon fell to a 2-3 record for third place behind Kagman High School and Saipan Southern High School, which hold similar 2-2 cards and start their second round campaign today when they collide in the second game.

Eucon suffered another bad beating from MHS after the latter caught the Blazers flatfooted in the third quarter. The Dolphins nearly matched their entire first-half output in the third quarter, firing 28 points to turn a 29-30 halftime deficit to a big 57-41 advantage.

Michael Yap anchored MHS’ third-quarter stunner, as he knocked in three triples in the pivotal period. Four other MHS players contributed at least two baskets apiece in the uprising, as the Dolphins’ much deeper bench clearly dominated Eucon’s. The Blazers had only five players making it to the scoreboard, while 10 players chipped in for MHS’ lopsided win.

With the Dolphins ahead by 16, with only one quarter to go, there was no way Eucon could overhaul the lead with only two players consistently hitting their shots for the Blazers, while their foes continued to spread the wealth.

Yap led two other MHS players in double figures with his 15 points, as he drilled two more treys in the fourth canto. Prince Factor and Kobe Mendoza added 14 and 12, respectively, and they combined for 12 of the Dolphins’ first 13 points to put the team on top after the opening canto, 17-15.

Eucon kept MHS within striking distance behind the 11 first-quarter points of Allen Yu and Amos Ren. The Blazers then even managed to grab the driver’ s seat at the break with Yu, scoring 7 of the team’s last 9 points in the second canto. However, the Dolphins got back into business in the third to retain their perfect record.

In the junior varsity division, MHS is also unscathed, following its 45-35 win over Eucon.
The Dolphins hold a 4-0 record, while Eucon has a 2-1 card.

The division leader held Eucon to single digits in scoring in three quarters en route to the 10-point win. The Dolphins limited the Blazers to one field goal in the first period for an 11-3 lead and although Eucon bounced back in the second, making 14 points, the latter logged only 9 markers each in the last two periods to absorb its first loss in the division.

Ignacio Borja led the Dolphins’ win, recording 17 points, while Jack Wang had 14 on the losing end for the Blazers.

Junior Varsity
MHS 45 – Borja 17, Pamintuan 8, Manalili 7 Vivero 4, Benavente 4, Santos 2.
Eucon 35 – Ja. Wang 14, Pecson 4, Li 4, J. Wang 4, Ji 4, Zheng 3, Je. Wang 2.
Scoring by quarters: 11-3, 21-17, 30-26, 45-35.

Varsity
MHS 77 – Yap 15, Factor 14, Mendoza 12, Espinosa 8, Arciaga 6, Malonzo 6, Cayading 4, Gabaldon 4, Kwon 3, Caouyon 3.
Eucon 57 – Yu 23, Li 11, Ren 9, Zhang 6, R. Wang 6.
Scoring by quarters: 17-15, 29-30, 57-41, 77-57.