Shirley’s, Joeten keep winning run

Kevin De Leon, seen here driving past Public School System defenders, scored 27 points in their 85-67 win over McDonald’s in the JP World caging last Wednesday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Shirley’s outgunned Saipan Ice & Water in the first game, 109-99, to gain its fourth win in as many matches, while Joeten earned its third consecutive victory following an 85-67 rout of McDonald’s in the second tiff.

Joeten, which dropped its first games before bagging three straight victories, handed McDonald’s its first loss in four matches. McDonald’s boosted its chances for a fourth win in a row after leading in the first period, 22-16, but failed to sustain a good start, while Joeten piled up points in the second and third quarters to grab the upper hand en route to the 18-point win.

Joeten scored 28 points in the second canto, more than doubling up McDonald’s, which tallied only 11 markers. Quarterback Kevin De Leon led Joeten’s second quarter attack, firing 14 markers, while Syl Teregeyo had a string of 6 points to lift their team to a 44-33 halftime lead.

Alex Lauron picked up where De Leon left off in the third to help Joeten protect its double-digit spread and snap McDonald’s three-game winning run,

De Leon finished with a game-high 27 points, while Lauron added 16, and Teregeyo and Juanito Sambile contributed 15 and 11, respectively. Mike Achas matched De Leon’s 27 points, while McLain Achas tallied 14, and Richard Cruz had a quiet 12 points. Cruz was the hero of McDonald’s 66-61 win over Commonwealth Utilities Corp., hitting six triples to finish with 21 points. Against Joeten had only on triple each in the first and second quarters and added two in the third before going scoreless in the fourth.

In the first game, Shirley’s prevailed in a shootout against Saipan Ice.

Shirley’s knocked in nine triples against the six of Saipan Ice with the former drilling four of them in the fourth canto to thwart the latter.

John Jugos buried three straight triples in the homestretch, while Lerio Pagaro hit one early in the fourth, as Shirley’s survived the 41-point explosion of Saipan Ice’s Jerome Norita. Jugos and Pagarao combined for 41 markers, too, while Erick Dela Rosa led Shirley’s with his 27 markers.

Shirley’s was ahead by only six after the third period, 75-69, when Dela Rosa, Pagarao, and Jugos’ baskets kept the team’s safe distance and offset Norita’s conversion for Saipan Ice.

First Game
Shirley’s 109 – Dela Rosa 27, Jugos 24, Pagarao 17, Duenas 15, Rabasto 10, Usi 8, Aguila 4, Pamintuan 1.

Saipan Ice & Water 99 – Norita 41, Santy 18, Kaipat 17, Olopai 15, Pangelinan 4, Cayading 2.

Scoring by quarters: 22-17, 51-47, 75-69, 109-99.

Second Game
Joeten 85 – De Leon 27, Lauron 16, Teregeyo 15, Sambile 11, Aguon 8, Tobias 5, Sablan 2.

McDonald’s 67 – Mi. Achas 27, Mc. Achas 14, Cruz 12, Gapor 6, Ayuyu 2, Deleon Guerrero 1.

Scoring by quarters: 16-22, 44-33, 63-51, 85-67.