Saipan Tribune

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Kanoa caging names 'Fantastic 4'

Organizers of the 2012 Kanoa Resort Women's Fall Basketball League recognized the outstanding players from the four participating teams in the double-round robin caging.

Dubbed as the “Fastastic 4,” were Ichiban's Friendly Joy Pena, UCC's Rachel Abrams, IDK Who's Negahr Rastguiy, and Kiss My Pass' Jeralyn Castillo. The four were cited for their key roles on their respective teams and were presented with medals during a brief awards ceremony at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium late last month.

Though Ichiban failed to win a single game in the Kanoa caging, as the team was bannered by newcomers, Pena stood out among the rookies, consistently leading her squad in scoring. She averaged close to 10 points per game and had her best performance during their second round meeting with IDK Who, firing 21 markers. In the semifinals against UCC, Pena tallied 10 points.

Abrams averaged 13 points in the playoff game for the eventual champion UCC, drilling 14 in their 62-32 spanking of Ichiban before nailing 12 in 66-54 title win over Kiss My Pass. The UCC enter also averaged in double figures in the double-round robin regular season and had 32-point explosion in their first win (54-51) over Kiss My Pass.

The diminutive Rastguiy stole the thunder from veteran teammate Irish Pagarao. She had a breakout game against Ichiban in the battle for third place, logging 21 points. Rastguiy's highest output (25 points) was also recorded against Ichiban, as she lifted IDK Who to a 61-46 victory in the second round.

Not to be outshone was Castillo, who led Kiss My Pass in the playoffs. She had 17 points in their 55-38 semis win over IDK Who and then sizzled for 23 markers in their title loss to UCC. The Marianas High School junior also matched Abrams' season-high score (32 points) during the Kiss My Pass-UCC first outing on Sept. 7.

Meanwhile, beside the four outstanding players, organizer of the Kanoa caging also recognized the most improved players in the fall league.

Making the honors list are Ichiban's Vanessa Bartolo and Shaina Santiago, UCC”s Madeleine Alegre and Denise Samson, IDK Who's Cielo Olivos and Angela Iriarte, and Kiss My Pass' Mikky Vargas and Jayda Mendoza.