Saipan Warriors bounce back

The Saipan Warriors’ Bobby Geli escapes with a fastbreak layup against two Bombers defenders during the fourth quarter of their game in the 2015 Graphics Invitational Masters Basketball League last Monday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Saipan Warriors recovered from their debut loss with a 71-59 victory over the Bombers at the resumption of games in the 2015 Graphics Invitational Masters Basketball League last Monday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

The Warriors, who fell to KB Hite, 85-95, during the Masters league’s opening last Jan. 25, finished strong to barge into the win column.

Ahead by only 4, 54-50, with still 7:45 left in the fourth quarter, Saipan Warriors held the Bombers to only one field goal for about seven minutes while scoring 15 points in that stretch.  Mike Surima capped the 15-2 run with a triple, lifting Saipan Warriors a comfortable 69-56 lead, with less than a minute left in the match.

An and-1 play from Bobby Dela Cruz gave the Bombers their first field goal in a long while and also the team’s last points, while a Bobby Geli’s layup pegged the final score.

Geli paced the Saipan Warriors with his 19 points, while Noel Mateo also finished in double figures with his 10 markers.

Mico Usi led the Bombers with his 12 points, while Art Salazar and Resty Joson chipped in 10 apiece. The Bombers were on top at the break, 38-33, after a 28-point explosion in the second quarter, but lost the driver’s seat as they slowed down in the second half. They made only 12 points in the third and were limited to 9 in the final canto.

In other results, Armatech won its debut in the eight-team league after whipping the Slashers, 76-58, in the curtain-raiser.

Armatech pulled away in the second half, as it tallied 28 points against the 11 of the Slashers. Before its second-quarter attack, Armatech was forced to a deadlock after the first canto, 19-19.

In the second period, James Abuy scored 7 straight points in the opening minutes, while Ferdie Tobias hit back-to-back triples and nailed 8 point to hand Armatech a 17-point advantage at the break, 47-30. Bernardo Montano also helped Armatech’s cause in the second quarter, dropping 6 straight points midway in that period.

The Slashers never made headway in the second half to lose their debut.

Meanwhile, Armatech will go for win No. 2 when it takes on Blue Haus tonight at 8pm. Blue Haus also guns for its second victory in as many games after prevailing against Bammy’s Restaurant, 82-70, during the league’s opening last month.

In the first game at 6:30pm, KB Hite challenges Bammy’s Restaurant.

First Game
Armatech 76 – Montano 16, Abuy 15, Gabaldon 14, Tobias 10, Poquiz 5, Manalili 4, Malasarte 4.
Slashers 58 – Tibayan 20, Alvarez 8, S. Ebuen 7, Tengco 7, Abadilla 6, Leong 2, Villasan 2.
Scoring by quarters: 19-19, 47-30, 61-43, 76-58.

Second Game
Saipan Warriors 71 – Geli 19, Mateo 10, Catindoy 9, Surima 9, Del Rio 5, Tiples 4, Santos 2, Miguel 2.
Bombers 59 – Usi 12, Joson 10, Salazar 10, Dela Cruz 9, Buniag 5, Conti 5, Echavez 3.
Scoring by quarters: 14-10, 33-38, 53-50, 71-59.