Saipan Tribune

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Sonics open U20 title defense with victory

Reigning champion Sonics got off to a good start in the Saipan Rotary Club Youth Basketball League's U20 season opener with a dominating 76-54 victory over the Rollers Basketball Club's Rollers 1, Monday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

After a tight first half, the Sonics built a hefty double-digit lead in the third quarter and never looked back.

Rollers 1 actually managed a slim 14-13 lead as both squads felt each other out in the opening 10 minutes.

The Sonics spread the ball around early on and leaned on point guard Jack Aranda in the second quarter as they pulled in front, 33-29, at halftime.

Rollers' John Darag managed to ring in a couple of 3-pointers in the second quarter, but Aranda heated up for 7 points and a handful of assists on the other end that helped get things going for the champs heading into halftime.

Though they already seized the lead before intermission, the Sonics really awoke in the third quarter and trudged ahead, 60-42.

Bryl Alegre led the charge with 8 markers and the group also did a good job on defense, limiting Rollers to only a dozen points in each the last two frames.

The Sonics shot so far ahead that the entire fourth quarter was reduced to garbage time.

Sonics' Jimmy Tudela came away with scoring honors with 15 points, while Rollers 1 enforcer Rainier Deleon Guerrero scrambled for a game-high 16 in the loss.

U20's Ol'Aces took on RBC's Rollers 2 last night, while tonight's matchup features LD Prime against Kagman; more details are forthcoming.

Solitary U20 matches will be held Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Thursday at 5:30pm. Other competing U20 teams include Proa, Hi-5, and Chalan Kanoa Saints.

In addition, the Rotary caging's six-team U16 age division kicks off this Saturday at the Ada Gym with a tripleheader starting at 9am when defending champion Proa cuts the ribbon against RBC's Rollers 1. It will be followed by HI-5 colliding with RBC's Rollers 2 at 10:15am and D-South versus RBC's Rollers 3 at 11:30am.

Sonics 76 - Tudela 15, Aranda 14, Salem 12, De Guzman 11, Alegre 8, Caro 6, Villanueva 6.

Rollers 54 - Deleon Guerrero 16, Darag 11, Dela Rosa 10, Suarez 8, Lansang 5, Manibusan 4.

Scoring by quarters: 13-14, 33-29, 60-42, 76-54.