Saipan Tribune

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Sexy Boys takes Division B lead

The Sexy Boys bagged two wins in one night to remain unbeaten and claim the lead in Division B of the DLX/Anchor Strong Invitational Basketball League.

The flawless Sexy Boys first edged the ICS Shooters, 48-46, in a regular match last Monday at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court and then topped Sexy Prime in the make-up game on the same night, 70-60, to improve to a 5-0 record, a game ahead of the second-running Adobo.

The division leader held the ICS Shooters to three field goals and 7 points in the fourth quarter to turn a 33-39 third quarter deficit to the 2-point win. John Larot led the come-from-behind victory, scoring 6 of Sexy Boys' last 8 points, including two crucial free throws in the homestretch.

Mike Tangcoy, James Sablan, Mark Santos, Pat Tinio, and Herbert Maranan also scored for the Sexy Boys in the final canto to steal the win from the ICS Shooters, which had only Harris Enriquez and M.J. Tala making baskets in the fourth frame. Enriquez nailed 5 points, while Tala added 2 markers.

Less than 15 minutes after the Sexy Boys-ICS Shooters match was completed, the former faced LD Prime to finish their Jan. 30 rained-out game.

The match resumed with 7:56 left in the fourth quarter and LD Prime holding on to a precarious 2-point advantage, 52-50. LD Prime went on to lose the shaky lead and the game, as it made more errors than baskets in the remaining minutes of the make-up game.

LD Prime committed three errant passes in the first minute, had at least five more miscues in the ensuing plays, and was also scoreless for more than three minutes, allowing the Sexy Boys to grab the driver's seat. Larot and Tinio teamed up in the Sexy Boys' final push, scoring 9 and 7 markers, respectively. Tinio's triple gave the Sexy Boys more cushion, 63-56, going into the final two minutes, while Larot put icing on the cake with his own triple, .9 of a second left on the clock.

Tinio top-scored for the Sexy Boys' fifth win with his 12 markers, while Larot and Arnold Santos chipped in 11 apiece.

Kenneth Quemado paced LD Prime (0-5) with his 19 markers, but was held to one field goal at the resumption of the match and he made it when the game was already over. Tony Fleming was the other double-figure scorer for LD Prime with his 14 points.

Meanwhile, LD Prime also played back-to-back games last Monday night and results of its duel with Gualo Rai will be reported in Saipan Tribune's Wednesday edition.

First Game

Sexy Boys 48 - Larot 16, Maranan 9, Sablan 6, Santos 5, Tangcoy 4, Tinio 4, Daria 2.

ICS Shooters 46 - Guntar 14, Enriquez 14, Espinosa 6, Corotan 6, Tala 4, Zalar 2.

Scoring by quarters: 9-10, 24-21, 33-39, 48-46.

Make-up Game

Sexy Boys 70 - Tinio 12, Santos 11, Larot 11, Maranan 9, Sablan 6, Tangcoy 3, Rosario 3, Daria 2, R. Deleon Guerrero 2, Tumbaga 2.

LD Prime 60 - K. Quemado 19, Fleming 14, Esteves 9, Jugos 5, Toribio 2, Aldan 2, Isip 2, Lapuz 1.

Scoring by quarters: 8-8, 25-28, 39-47, 70-60.