Saipan Vegas sweeps regular season

Saipan Vegas’ K.J. Kabiriel, right, takes off for a layup against The Game’s Jun Fidelino during their match in the 2019 Atkins Kroll Marianas International Basketball League last month at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. Saipan Vegas swept the regular season after winning over MS Villagomez last Wednesday, 105-90, while The Game was beaten by IT&E, 101-82. (Kimberly A. Bautista)

Saipan Vegas finished the regular season of the 2019 Atkins Kroll Marianas International Basketball League with a perfect record following a 105-90 victory over MS Villagomez last Wednesday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Most valuable player candidate Douglas Schmidt scored 30 points in the last game in the elimination round to hand Saipan Vegas a 9-0 mark. The undefeated squad is seeded first in the playoffs and will face Caravan’s (5-4) in a best-of-three semis series, starting tonight. The other Final Four pairing will have No. 2 IT&E (8-1) battling No. 3 MS Villlagomez (6-3).

Schmidt caught fire early, sizzling for 11 points in the first period to give Saipan Vegas a double-digit lead, 35-14. Coby Santos backed up Schmidt, adding 10 in the opening frame and Saipan Vegas never looked back en route to the 15-point win.

IT&E 101, The Game 82
IT&E also ended its regular season assignment on a positive note after downing The Game in the curtain-raiser last Tuesday.

Eight IT&E players scored in double figures with Errol Peredo leading the way after making 18 markers.

After facing a 19-23 deficit in the first period, IT&E buckled down to work in the second to steal the driver’s seat and hung on to it the rest of the way by spreading the wealth.

Mystique BBQ 72, Caravan’s 68
Mystique BBQ pulled off an upset win over Caravan’s to bow out of competition in style.

Mystique finished the regular season with a 4-5 record for sixth place in the team standings of the 10-squad field. Caravan’s ended up with a 5-4 slate—the same mark that Bridge Capital had, but the former took the last semis berth after prevailing in the tiebreak (via win over the other rule).

Jetzen Jandoc helped Mystique win its last game of the season after delivering 12 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, including 10 from the foul line.

WEDNESDAY
Saipan Vegas 105—Schmidt 30, Santos 28, Sablan 9, P. Basa 9, Rabauliman 7, Diaz 6, Kabiriel 4, Libuw 4, E. Basa 2, Bondoc 2, Deleon Guerrero 2.
MS Villagomez 90—Lajara 14, Aughenbaugh 12, King 11, Richardson 11, Deleon Guerrero 10, Teregeyo 10, Guerrero 7, Dela Cruz 6, Manibusan 5, Villagomez 4.
Scoring by quarters: 35-14, 60-33, 82-65, 105-90.

TUESDAY
First Game
IT&E 101—Peredo 18, De Guzman 16, De Dios 14, Demapan 12, Guiab 12, Aranda 11, Barbo 10, Devero 4, Talania 4.
The Game 82—Mintac 31, Fidelino 20, Javier 30, Parulan 6, Castro 2, Sablan 2, Hernandez 2.
Scoring by quarters: 19-23, 45-40, 69-60, 101-82.

Second Game
Mystique BBQ 71—Jandoc 21, Bernardo 20, Tekopua 9, Dancel 7, Torres 5, Galulu 4, Castillo 2, Gaviola 2, Moises 2.
Caravan’s 68—Quan 15, Factor 11, Standish 11, Viray 7, Rasa 7, Castro 6, Villarin 4, Younis 3, Sablan 2, Tenorio 2.
Scoring by quarters: 20-21, 31-32, 52-54, 71-68.