Rollers I eclipses Suns, gain semis entry

The Rollers I secured the third semifinals ticket in the Saipan Rotary Club Youth Basketball League after outshining the Kagman Suns, 65-53, Tuesday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Both teams were sluggish in the first half and in the first few minutes of the second half due to a weeklong break, but the Rollers I finally found its rhythm midway in the second half to cruise to the 12-point win.

The victory allowed the Rollers I to join pennant champion CNMI Junior Nationals and the San Antonio Sixers in the semifinals. The Rollers I will be paired with the Sixers in the Final Four round, which will be held on Monday.

The Junior Nationals will face the winner of the Kontenders-G-Stars tiff in the other semis pairing, which will be played tonight.

The playoff game between the Rollers I, which was seeded third in the playoffs, and the six-ranked Suns ended in a deadlock after the first half, 32-all.

The second half was a seesaw battle with the Suns holding the lead for the last time at 38-37, midway in that period.

A 13-2 run anchored by Manny Matagolai and Donald Teregeyo put the Rollers in front, 50-40, going into the last six minutes of the game.

Matagolai scored five straight points in that run, while Teregeyo made a triple and split his charities to seize the lead, which the Rollers I never lost since then.

Teregeyo continued to fire up the Rollers I’s offense in the remaining six minutes of the game and his intensity rubbed off on his teammates, who added points in the closing minutes of the match.

Teregeyo paced Rollers I with 15 points, while Matagolai chipped in 14. The rest of the Rollers I players combined for 36 points outscoring the Suns’ bench.

Juan Maratita led the Suns’ losing cause hitting 15 points, while Mariano Lisua contributed 12.

The Rollers I-Sixers semifinals match will be played in the second game on Monday at 7pm. The CNMI Junior Nationals and the victor of the G-Stars-Kontenders match will duel in the first game at 5:30pm.

The title match is set for Nov. 4 at 7pm, while the consolation match will be played at 5:30pm on the same day.

The CNMI Junior Nationals are this year’s defending champion beating the Southern Sonics in last season’s finals, 98-91.

The Sixers placed third outclassing the Rollers I, 84-83.

Rollers I 65 – Teregeyo 15, Matagolai 14, E. Camacho 8, Danas 7, Concepcion 6, A. Camacho , Paez 4, Deleon Guerrero 3.

Suns 53 – Maratita 15, M. Lisua 12, Brel 8, Calvo 4, Salas 2, Fleming 2, R. Lisua 2.

Scoring by halves: 32-all, 65-53.

Referees: Eric Artillaga and Arnold Mesa.