T8 Warriors, Sonics crush Kanaka teams

T8 Warriors’ Trion Sulap is fouled by a Kanaka Blue defender on his way to a fastbreak layup during the first quarter of their U15 game in the Diaz caging last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Sonics and T8 Warriors pounced on Kanaka squads as action in the U15 division of the Inaugural Frank M. Diaz Memorial Youth League resumed last Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

T8 Warriors whipped Kanaka Blue, 46-26, in the third and final game last weekend, while the Sonics romped past Kanaka Black in the second match, 51-12.

The Warriors found their targets in the second half for the easy win. The final half started with the Warriors ahead by only 7, 17-10, before Joel Norita made it a 31-20 advantage, after dropping all his 8 points in the third period.

Kobe Lifoifoi then picked up where Norita left off in the fourth canto, scoring 6 points, while Henry Aguon added 4 and two other Warriors players hit the board in the final frame en route to a 20-point winning margin.

Lifoifoi paced the Warriors with his 12 points, while Aguon chipped in 10.

In the second game, the Sonics set the tone of the match early, posting a 15-3 lead after the first 10 minutes of play. Jester Kintaro outgunned the entire Kanaka Black crew with his 6 points to give the Sonics a double-digit spread.

The Sonics then widened the gap further in the second quarter, 29-5, as they had five different players contributing on offense, while Kanaka Black got only 2 markers from Kenneth Kaipat.

Kanaka Black continued to struggle in the second half and with their inexperience and lack of potent offense, the Sonics walked away with the lopsided win.

Kintaro top-scored for the Sonics with his 13 markers, while Kristian Itaas and Rafael Ordono combined for 17.

In the first game, Wong pulled off 44-40 overtime victory against NMI Rollers.

JC Ferrari and Greg Deleon Guerrero teamed up in helping Wong edge NMI Rollers in the extra period. Ferrari made Wong’s last two field goals in the extension, while Deleon Guerrero canned a pair of important free throws. E.J. Abeja and Sean Apasan tallied the 4 other points for Wong in overtime.

Only Angelo Factor and Joseph Kisa lit up the board for NMI Rollers in the extra five minutes of the close match. Factor also registered 6 straight points in regulation to send the game in overtime.

Deleon Guerrero ended up leading all scorers with his 17 markers, while Abeja finished in double figures, too with 11. Factor had 11 to pace NMI Rollers.