Pacific Auto rolls past K2 Ballers

Pacific Auto center Juan Camacho goes up strong for a layup against K2 Ballers in their game in the Inaugural NMI Rollers Men’s Basketball Tournament last Saturday at the Koblerville Gymnasium. (Mark Rabago)

Pacific Auto relied on its young guns to speed past K2 Ballers, 61-46, as the NMI Rollers Basketball Association’s Inaugural NMI Rollers Men’s Basketball Tournament continued with five matches last Saturday at the Koblerville Gymnasium.

Led by the Mutt-and-Jeff combination of center Juan Camacho and point guard Chris Estevez, Pacific Auto took the initiative early in the tourney’s last game that day and they led by double digits, 27-17, after the first 20 minutes of play.

Kenta Castro then joined the party in the second half, as the cat-quick swingman anchored Pacific Auto’s fast-break attack enabling the team to win its debut running away, while exacting K2 Ballers its first loss in two games.

Estevez and Castro paced Pacific Auto in the win with 16 points each, while Camacho was a tower of power down low with 11 points and 7 rebounds.
K2 Ballers was led by the 9 points apiece of Jon Santos, Ryan Mendiola, and Dion Lizama.

In the first game, the San Antonio Sixers ran circles against an overmatched Sacho 1 squad to win, 59-22.

The Sixers, whose core is made up of the CNMI national training pool, didn’t blow Sacho 1 out of the water immediately as they led by only 6 points, 20-14, after the first half with Don Brennan firing 9 markers.

But the gloves went off in the second half, as center Josh Andrew and swingman Christian Itaas found their groove and scored 20 points between them, leading San Antonio to the easy win.

Andrew paced the Sixers in the triumph with 16 points and 17 rebounds, while Brennan and Itaas chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively. Jun Aguon led Sacho 1 with his 6 markers.

Blue Haus withstood a second-half rally by Rollers to escape with a 52-47 win in the second game. Ryan Byna spearheaded a balanced scoring attack by Blue Haus with 11 points, while forward Darwin Barbo added 10. Shane Deleon Guerrero and Matt Richardson led Rollers in the losing cause with 20 and 14 points, respectively.

Marianas Dental, meanwhile, defeated Jacob’s Bakeshop & Barbecue by the skin of its teeth in the third game, 46-44. It was a nip-and-tuck game from the get-go with both teams entering halftime at a 17-all tie. The 15 points of Je Ferrari led Marianas Dental.

In the penultimate game of the evening, The Game blew out Bola Bois, 51-38. Kerwin Dayao and Jeff Sagum were the top scorers for the winners with 11 points apiece, while Jetzen Jandoc tossed in 8 markers to pace Bola Bois.

First Game

Sixers 59 – Andrew 16, Brennan 11, Itaas 10, De Guzman 6, Leung 6, Aranda 5, Fidelino 5.
Sacho 1 22 – Aguon 6, D. Faisao 4, Malwelbug 4, Iguel 2, Q. Faisao 2, Sharyy 2.
Scoring by halves: 20-14, 59-22.

Second Game

Blue Haus 52 – Byna 11, Barbo 10, Guiab 9, Peredo 9, Tatlonghari 6, Esdrelon 4, Berline 2.
Rollers 47 – Deleon Guerrero 20, Richardson 14, Augenbaugh 6, Roquepo 2, Palmes 2, Sumar 2,
Scoring by halves: 31-17, 52-47.

Third Game

Marianas Dental 46 – Ferrari 15, Apasan 10, Natividad 8, Torres 7, Ferrer 4, Dannel 2, Ariar 2.
Jacob’s Bakeshop & Barbecue 44 – Lilues 16, Ong 10, Gaviola 7, Kintz 6, Duenas 4, Moises 1.
Scoring by halves: 17-17, 46-44.

Fourth Game

The Game 51 – Dayao 11, Sagum 11, Mintac 10, Deleon Guerero 7, Joe 7, Blake 3, Teregeyo 2.
Bola Bois 38–Jandoc 8, Fundador 7, Saplan 4, Agustin 4, Mangali 4. R. Hipolito 3, Reyes 2, E. Hipolito 2, Galang 2.
Scoring by halves: 23-17, 51-38.

Fifth Game

Pacific Auto 61 – K. Castro 16, Estevez 16, Ju. Camacho 11, Ja. Camacho 5. G. Castro 4, Lizama 4, Rangamar 3, Teregeyo 2, Pangelinan 2.
K2 Ballers 47 – Santos 9, Lizama 9, Mendiola 9, Faisao 7, Deleon Guerrero 4, Limes 2, Malwelbul 2, Hocog 2, Brandon 2.
Scoring by halves: 27-17, 61-46.