MJD pounds Kanoa; Pacific Postal wins

Pacific Postal Plus players sandwich Armatech’s Alex Lauron during the rebound play in the first game in the IT&E Emon Lodge caging last Sunday at the Koblerville Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Pacific Postal Plus battled back from its opening day loss, while MJD Warriors won its season debut in the IT&E Emon Masonic Lodge No. 179 Mixed Masters Brotherhood Basketball League last Wednesday at the Koblerville Gymnasium.

MJD debuted against Kanoa Krushers and coasted to a 92-44 win, while Pacific Postal Plus, which fell to Armatech in last Sunday’s opener, was pitted against Imperial Pacific in the second match and prevailed, 58-51. Imperial Pacific absorbed its second straight loss in as many games, as it also bowed to Pacific Islands Club Saipan last weekend.

Ryan Odicta helped Pacific Postal make it to the win column after scoring a team-high 16 points. Jon Broncano also finished in double figures for Pacific Postal, adding 12.

Pacific Postal held Imperial Pacific to single-digit scoring in the first quarter to take a 14-9 lead and never relinquished the upper hand, as Odicta and Broncano’s teammates also contributed to the squad’s cause.

In the first game, the opening quarter was close with MJD ahead by only a deuce, 18-16, but the winning squad began controlling the match in the second canto en route to the lopsided victory.

Jun Tabora, Jack Aranda, and Jaymar De Guzman led the second-period breakaway, as they combined for 23 points to hand MJD a 45-29 halftime edge. De Guzman tallied MJD’s last 9 points in the pivotal second frame and finished the half with 12. The former Saipan Southern High School standout ended up with a game-high 20 markers.

Jorge De Guzman and Aranda chipped in 22 more markers for MJD, which draw 8 points each from Tabora, Cecilio Bisana, and Ben Lisua. Ramsa Tenepere was the lone double-figure scorer for the hapless Kanoa after logging 13.

First Game
MJD Warriors 92 — Ja. De Guzman 20, Jo. De Guzman 12, Aranda 10, Usi 9, Bisana 8, Lisua 8, Tabora 8, Dayrit 6, Sampang 2, Mungcal 2.
Kanoa Krushers 44 — Tenepere 13, Lumauag 6, Pablo 6, Quintip 4, Sedillo 4, Belgado 4, Bata 2, Fejeran 2.
Scoring by quarters: 18-16, 45-29, 69-35, 92-44.

Second Game
Pacific Postal Plus 58 — Odicta 16, Broncano 12, Agbanlog 6, Usi 5, Ordus 4, Vallo 4, Pineda 2, Mortos 2, Bonto 1.
Imperial Pacific 51 — Makabenta 21, Cruzada 9, Odvina 7, Peladra 5, Bornales 3, Ambe 3, Mabunga 3.
Scoring by quarters: 14-9, 28-20, 41-33, 58-51.