Ol’Aces exacts revenge on Rollers in U19 finals

After its U17 team lost to Rollers in the finals, Ol’Aces got a measure of revenge when its U19 team pummeled 670 Rollers, 58-35, in the senior division championship game of the 2015 NMI Rollers Basketball Tournament last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Ol’Aces’ Dizon Magofna goes up for a floater against a 670 Rollers defender during their championship game in the 2015 NMI Rollers Basketball Tournament last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Mark Rabago)

While nobody expected the devastation brought by Typhoon Soudelor last Sunday night, Ol’Aces seemed to be on mission to get the game all over with as soon as possible so everybody can go home and prepare for the storm.

Jess Santos typified Ol’Aces’ determination in exacting payback for what 670 Rollers’ U17 team did in its 72-39 shellacking of the Ol’Aces’ U17 team minutes before the tipoff for the U19 championship match.

Santos fired 8 of his 13 points in the first half that helped Ol’Aces take a relatively comfortable 24-15 lead at the halftime break.

Drew Palino and Jason Lampkin backstopped Santos’ scintillating performance in the first 20 minutes of action by adding 6 points apiece.

670 Rollers players’ feet seemed to be made out of lead from the get-go, which could be forgiven since majority of their starters actually played in the U17 finals preceding the game.

Despite battling exhaustion, U17 standouts Mike Espinosa and Mike Arciaga still paced the team in the first half with 5 and 4 points, respectively.

Ol’Aces further capitalized on the fatigue of 670 Rollers players in the second half, as they tried to run on every opportunity they had.

As a result, the Oleai-based team’s lead ballooned to more than 20 points as 670 Rollers eventually waived the white flag of surrender.

Palino this time led Ol’Aces’ charge with 8 points in the second half, while Lampkin and Santos added 7 and 5 more points to their totals.

Espinosa tried single-handedly to make the final score respectable, powering his way for 10 of his game-high 15 points in the second half. His partner in crime Arciaga, however, tapered off in the canto and came away with only 4 more.

Palino led Ol’Aces with 14 points, while Santos and Lampkin chipped in 13 markers each.

The awards ceremonies for the U19, U17, and U15 divisions of the 2015 NMI Rollers Basketball Tournament was supposed to be held last Sunday at the Coral Ocean Point. However, organizers postponed the banquet due to Typhoon Soudelor.

Ol’Aces 58 – Palino 14, J. Santos 13, Lampkin 13, Jones 6, Borja 4, Castillo 4, Nakashima 2, Magofna 2.

670 Rollers 35 – Espinosa 15, Arciaga 8, Factor 6, Vivero 3, Babauta, Iglecias 1.

Scoring by halves: 24-15, 58-35.