Team Marianas beats New Chang Ming for last finals spot

Team Marianas’ Coby Santos goes for a layup against New Chang Ming Market’s Tristan Montes during the semifinals of the 2023 Michelob Ultra Cup Men’s Islandwide Basketball League last Sunday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.(LEIGH GASES)

Team Marianas beat New Chang Ming Market, 100-86 in the last semifinals game of the 2023 Michelob Ultra Cup Men’s Islandwide Basketball League last Sunday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Team Marianas earned the finals spot against Martech-Ol’Aces in the championships played last night with results of that game to be posted later.

Coby Santos of Team Marianas put on a stellar performance which gave his team the upper hand from the jump ball. Racing down the court, Santos would make 14 of the team’s 32 points in the first quarter.

New Chang Ming could not hold Santos off as he snaked through their defense with ease—putting pressure on them instead of the other way around. By the end of the first quarter, New Chang Ming were behind by 10 points.

Shane Deleon Guerrero and Tristan Montes tried to keep New Chang Ming afloat as they took turns at the basket. Montes had scored 10 points by the end of the second quarter and Deleon Guerrero added 9 markers of his own.

However, Team Marianas kept adding more points and lengthened the lead just as New Chang Ming were getting into the groove of banking their shots. In the third quarter, Santos was assisted by teammates Jack Aranda and Greg Sablan and the trio put Team Marianas up by 16 points heading into the last quarter. Aranda coincidentally plays for New Chang Ming in the Saipan Centennial Lions Club Basketball League.

New Chang Ming was down to their last chance to stay in the playoffs as they battled it out in the fourth quarter—with Gino Asauo scoring his second third pointer of the game and two players being handed free throws by fouls—but it wasn’t enough to dissuade Team Marianas.

By this time, Aranda was already 6-for-6 from 3-point range and added 4 more points to rack up a total of 22 points. Santos did not let up either and had a game high 37 markers—with only him and Aranda making it to double digits for their team by the end of the game.

Deleon Guerrero was tied with Daryl Foronda with 14 points for New Chang Ming, while Rodel Pastrana had 19, and Montes and Asauo had 13 each.

Team Marianas 100 – C. Santos 37, Aranda 22, Garcia 9, G. Sablan 8, Villarin 8, K. Santos 4, Aldan 4, Richardson 3, Hocog 3, Raquepo 2.
New Chang Ming 86 – Pastrana 19, Deleon Guerrero 14, Foronda 14, Asauo 13, Montes 13, Cruz 5, Gontar 4, Aspasan 4.
Scoring by quarters: 32-23, 54-42, 81-65, 100-86.