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Saipan Vegas Elite downs Titans
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Posted on Apr 13 2018
A Saipan Vegas Elite player, right, dribbles away from a Chinatown Titans defender during the second half of their boys U18 division game in the Diaz youth caging last Wednesday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Saipan Vegas Elite played steadier in the homestretch to beat the Chinatown Titans, 43-39, in the boys U18 division game in the 2018 Frank M. Diaz Memorial Youth League last Wednesday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
Ahead by only 3, 37-34, with a little over a minute left in the match, Saipan Vegas Elite drew back-to-back baskets from Albert Atan and a point-blank shot from Luis Blas to foil the Titans comeback bid. The Titans had a chance to cut the 3-point deficit to 1, but missed two free throws, followed by a split from Louie Calayag and a couple of wayward shots before David Zhang got away with a fastbreak layup down to the last 5 seconds of the match.
The Titans played catch up right from the start of the game, as it was held to 8 points in the first quarter.
Xavier Okaruru and Atan paced Saipan Vegas Elite after scoring 10 markers each.
BOYS U15 DIVISION
NSA Young Warriors 79, Dandan Sonics 29
The NSA Young Warriors walloped the Dandan Sonics in last Tuesday’s game.
Four NSA Young Warriors players scored in twin digits in the victory. Aven Evangelista had 18 points, Mike Daikichy added 16, and Jonathan Riungel and Jericho Jones contributed 12 and 11, respectively.
The win was in the bag for the Young Warriors right after the first half as they led by a wide margin, 45-11. The Young Warriors then played no let-up against the younger and inexperienced Dandan Sonics crew for the 50-point victory.
670 Sonics 54, Saipan Vegas Extreme 49
Ronald Bernardo and Clarenz Contreras delivered the key baskets for the 670 Sonics in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter.
Contreras had 5 of the 670 Sonics’ last 9 markers, including the team’s final 3, while Bernardo hit back-to-back field goals. Bernardo finished with a game-high 23 points, while Contreras recorded 16 markers, 14 of them came in the second half.
Duncan Laxa had 16 points in a losing effort for Saipan Vegas Extreme.
