SJ Ol’Aces clinch U18 title

San Jose Ol’Aces and Kentucky Fried Chicken players battle for the loose ball during the third quarter of their U18 title match in the BANMI youth caging last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Ol’Aces got off to a rousing start, withstood KFC’s late third-quarter rally, and went for the killer blows in the opening minutes of the fourth to secure the division championship. The Keith Nabors-coached Ol’Aces won 11 games this year, sweeping the round-robin regular season and beating three playoff foes.

Kobee Mendoza top-scored in the Ol’Aces’ title win, firing 19 points. He, cousin Karlo De Leon and Dustin Sablan teamed up in the Ol’Aces’ jackrabbit start that saw Nabors’ wards build a 32-14 lead at the end of the first period. Sablan and De Leon logged 9 points apiece in the opening canto, while Mendoza added 8, 6 of them came from downtown.

In the second quarter, KFC picked up its scoring and spread the wealth to bring the deficit down to 13 at the turn, 36-49. However, the Ol’Aces threatened to pull away with its 9-0 run in the first four minutes of the third period for its biggest advantage in the title match, 58-36.

Sensing trouble, KFC coach Jun Alipio sued for time and when the game resumed, his players regrouped and manage to win the exchange past the halfway mark of the third, 20-8, to move within 10, 56-66. Shane Deleon Guerrero led the KFC’ recovery, scoring 10 of his 19 points in that rally. However, the Ol’Aces stood their ground and kept the double-digit spread at the end of the third canto, 70-59, after gaining 4 more markers against the 3 of KFC.

The lead ballooned to 19, 83-64, as the Ol’Aces went for the jugular in the first five minutes of the fourth frame. Six different Ol’Aces players joined forces in unloading a 14-5 bomb and sealing the championship for the unbeaten squad. Ignacio Borja scored 4 points in the crucial exchange, while Mendoza, De Leon, Nabors, Joseph Sablan, and Garreth Jumao-as added one field goal apiece. Jethro Cruz and Deleon Guerrero combined for the 5 points for KFC, which never made a serious comeback attempt in the remaining five minutes of the title match to lose its upset bid against the Ol’Aces.

Meanwhile, in the battle for third place, the Rollers A routed the Chalan Kanoa Saints, 80-66.

Mike Arciaga had a breakout game in the consolation match, exploding for 32 points. Prince Factor and Emerson Feria backed him up, contributing 16 and 14, respectively. Nakashima Nakashima paced the Saints with his 24 points, while Jun Fidelino chipped in 17.

Besides the U18 title and third place games, the U21 division finals was also held last Saturday and results will be reported in Saipan Tribune’s Tuesday edition.

First Game
Rollers A 80 – Arciaga 32, Factor 16, Feria 14, Malonzo 7, Babauta 6, Vivero 4, Deocared 2.

CK Saints 66 – Nakashima 24, Fidelino 17, Pangelinan 9, Espinosa 8, Jones 4, Omengkar 4.

Scoring by quarters: 24-24, 40-34, 53-49, 80-66.

Second Game
SJ Ol’Aces 95 – Mendoza 19, D. Sablan 18, Borja 14, De Leon 11, J. Sablan 10, Jumao-as 10, Cruz 8, Nabors 5.

KFC 84 – Deleon Guerrero 19, Cruz 18, Francisco 14, Javier 11, Kwon 7, Darag 3, Ogasawara 2, Borromeo 2, Cruz 1.

Scoring by quarters: 32-14, 49-36, 70-59, 95-84.