Runnin’ Rebels, Saints top opponents

A Chalan Kanoa Saints player beats a Rollers A player for the loose ball during an earlier game in the U18 division of the BANMI youth caging at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Runnin’ Rebels nipped Kentucky Fried Chicken in the U21 match last Wednesday, 69-68, while the Saints whipped the CNMI Girls Nationals in the U18 pairing last Tuesday, 118-47, to join the Sonics in last week’s winners list. Only three teams recorded victories last week, as Thursday’s and Friday’s matches were rescheduled to give way to Halloween activities.

The Saints gained their fourth win in five games to remain in third place behind the unbeaten San Jose Ol’Aces (6-0) and Division of Youth Services (5-1), while the Nationals are still winless in six matches.

The first win of the season remained elusive for the CNMI cagebelles as they managed to keep the Saints within striking distance only in the first period. Chalan Kanoa was ahead by only nine at the end of the opening canto, 25-16, but blew the game wide open in the second frame, taking a 48-28 halftime edge. Jun Fidelino led the breakaway, drilling 17 points in the first half. He went on to top-score for the Saints with 36 points. Three other Saints players broke into twin digits in the easy win with Mike Espinosa adding 14 and Renan Lansang and Luwan Reyes adding 13 and 12, respectively.

Rachel Abrams led the Nationals with her 15 points, while Michelle Kautz contributed 14. Kyla Ito, Irish Pagarao, and Madeleine Alegre completed the Nationals’ box score, logging 6 points apiece.

In last Wednesday’s U21 game, Edmond Borja posted 21 points, including 8 of the Runnin Rebels’ last 10 points to lift his team to the close win.

It was a come-from-behind victory for the Runnin’ Rebels, as they trailed right from the start and still faced a 46-49 deficit at the end of the third period before Borja teamed up with Gerald Castillo in stealing the win from KFC.

Castillo knocked in two triples early in the fourth to keep the Runnin’ Rebels in the game, while Borja delivered the last blows, canning three straight baskets in the home stretch and the go-ahead. Castillo finished the match with 12 points, the same output the Runnin’ Rebels got from Djay Ong, the latest addition on the team. Ong also contributed one basket in the closing seconds of the match.

The Runnin’ Rebels, who were admitted to the league midway in the regular season to replace Star Magic, improved their record to 2-2, while KFC fell to a 2-5 slate.

Tristan Montes led KFC’s losing cause after posting 26 points.

TUESDAY
Saints 118 – Fidelino 36, Espinosa 14, Lansang 13, Reyes 12, Floresca 8, Jones 6, Omengkar 5, Nakashima 4, Pangelinan 2.

CNMI Girls Nationals 47 – Abrams 15, M. Kautz 14, Ito 6, Pagarao 6, Alegre 6.

Scoring by quarters: 25-16, 48-24, 79-32, 118-47.

WEDNESDAY
Runnin’ Rebels 69 – Borja 21, Castillo 12, Ong 12, Abobo 6, Anderson 4, Miller 2, Kabiriel 2, Ermitanio 2, Nakashima 2.

KFC 68 – Montes 26, Cruz 15, Ogasawara 13, Borromeo 4, Alipio 4.

Scoring by quarters: 15-20, 31-38, 46-49, 69-68.