Saipan Tribune

Monday, May 20, 2013

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

UCC routs Ichiban in Kanoa caging opener

UCC got off to a rousing start in the 2012 Kanoa Resort Women's Fall Basketball League after whipping Ichiban, 64-18, last Monday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium of the TSL Sports Complex.

The Rachel Abrams-led UCC gave the novice Ichiban Crew a neat basketball lesson to win the opening game in the four-team women's caging. A 14-4 scoring in the first eight minutes of play was all UCC needed to control the game and walk away with a big 46-point victory.

Abrams, who towers above the rest of the players of the two opposing teams, anchored UCC's strong start, as she scored 10 points in the first period, drilling mostly uncontested shots in the paint. With the former CNMI Women's U17 team dominating in the paint, UCC built a 21-5 lead after the opening canto.

Ichiban, which has a bunch of basketball beginners on its rosters, got all its 5 points from Saipan Southern High School standout Vanessa Bartolo. She and Friendly Joy Pena were the only two Ichiban players to score more than one field goal in their debut and the deficit grew in the last three quarters.

While Ichiban struggled with its offense, failing to drop a single basket in the third period Abrams and company had a balance scoring. Denise Samson led UCC with his 19 markers, Abrams added 14, and fellow veteran Glorily Williams nailed 13. Kaylani Lebria contributed 8 and Danica Canedo and Madeleine Alegre chipped in 4 and 2, respectively, to complete UCC's scoring.

Meanwhile, action in the Kanoa Resort caging will continue today with two more teams playing in their first game of the season at 6pm. The Lalaine Pagarao-led IDK Who faces the Jeraldine Castillo-bannered Kiss My Pass.

Joining Pagarao on IDK Who are Negahr Rastguiy, Jhaneeka Atalig, Anne Padilla, Krizel Tuazon, Shelo Olivos, Nicole Dawn Arboliras, Angela Ariarte, and Ka Wai Yiu. Jeraldine Castillo will be teaming up with sister, Jeralyn, Mikky Vargas, Dianne Pablo, Mae Ito, Nicole Loste, Patricia Abantao, A.J. Garon, and Charlene Lizardo.

This year's Kanoa Resort caging will have a double-round robin format in the regular season, while the playoffs will be a crossover affair, with the No. 1 team meeting the No. 4 squad for the first finals berth and the No. 2 and 3 teams battling for the second and last finals seat.

UCC 64 - Samson 19, Abrams 14, Williams 3, Lebria 8, Canedo 4, Alegre 2.

Ichiban 18 - Bartolo 9, Pena 6, Lumabi 3.

Scoring by quarters: 21-5, 29-8, 48-8, 64-18.