Saipan Tribune

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

UCC takes early lead in Kanoa caging

UCC grabbed the early solo lead in the 2012 Kanoa Resort Women’s Fall Basketball League after defeating Kiss My Pass, 54-51, last Friday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium of the TSL Sports Complex.

Before last weekend's match, both UCC and Kiss My Pass won their debuts, but the former managed to take the No. 1 spot and keep a perfect record after its 3-point win against the latter.

Rachel Abrams top-scored for UCC with 32 points, but it was her support crew's production in the fourth quarter that helped their team thwart Kiss My Pass' repeated comeback bids.

After Abrams nailed 4 of UCC's first 6 points in the fourth, Denise Samson, Kyla Ito, Lily Williams, and Madeleine Alegre made one basket each in the ensuing plays to secure the win.

Jeraldine Castillo also sizzled for 32 points for Kiss My Pass, but she single-handedly carried the team's fight in the fourth quarter. Castillo had 13 of their 16 points in the fourth canto and only two of her teammates contributed on offense in the final frame with sister Jeralyn adding two markers and Mae Ito making a free throw.

Kiss My Pass played catch up after falling behind at the end of the first period, 8-16. Abrams scored UCC's first 10 points and finished with 12 in the opening canto for their 8-point advantage. She continued piling up points in the next two quarters before getting enough help in the fourth canto to notch their second win.

In the first game, IDK Who recovered from its debut loss to Kiss My pass after downing Ichiban (0-2), 66-54.

After trailing at the break, 21-23, IDK Who turned on the heat in the third period to grab the driver's seat, 47-34. IDK scored 26 big points in the third canto, while Ichiban was held to 11. The diminutive Negahr Rastguiy anchored IDK Who's attack in the third quarter, firing 10 of her 20 points in that stanza.

Kaylani Rios picked up where Rastguiy left off in the fourth period, drilling 9 straight markers at one point in the final canto to preserve IDK Who's double-digit winning margin.

First Game

IDK Who 66 -Rastguiy 20, Rios 15, Padilla 12, Yiu 9, Arboliras 6, Pagarao 2.

Ichiban 54 - Z. Lizama 12, Lumabi 8, Pena 7m V. Bartolo 6, Gatchalian 6, Santiago 6, R. Lizama 4, C. Bartolo 3.

Scoring by quarters: 11-6, 21-23, 47-34, 66-54.

Second Game

UCC 54 - Abrams 32, Samson 6, Alegre 6, Lebria 6, Williams 2, Ito 2.

Kiss My Pass 51 - Jeraldine Castillo 32, Jeralyn Castillo 10, Ito 3, Mendoza 2.

Scoring by quarters: 16-8, 26-22, 40-35, 54-51.