PSS, Tinian score weekend sweeps

Public School System kept their perfect record intact, while Tinian won their fourth straight game in the 2004 Government Basketball League last Friday and Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

PSS narrowed down their magic number for a sweep of the elimination round to two following consecutive routes of Saipan Mayor’s Office and Commonwealth Health Center.

On Friday, PSS gave the Mayor’s Office a neat lesson on the basketball court with a 104-60 win despite giving heavy minutes to their bench players.

PSS led from wire to wire and were paced by the 20 points of burly reserve Jacob Villagomez and the 19 of third-string shooting guard Todd Blechner.

Gil Borja led the Mayor’s Office with 20 markers.

PSS got a little more of a workout against Commonwealth Health Center Saturday when they were challenged in the first three quarters before putting out all the stops in the fourth for 91-74 triumph.

With sharpshooter Tom Diaz on target from the outside and biggies Richard “Doc” Brostrom and Joe Tudela doing damage inside, CHC kept close and trailed by just 10 points, 52-62, heading into the fourth and final quarter.

But PSS decided to step on the gas pedal in the payoff period, getting a flurry of baskets from sweet shooting Taj Van Buren and the athletic combo of Gary Lashley and Gabriel White, as they left CHC biting their dust and strolled for the win.

Lashley pumped in 24 points to take game-high honors, while Van Buren and White chipped in 23 and 14, respectively. Diaz with 17 and Brostrom with 16 were the high scorers for CHC.

Tinian, meanwhile, shrugged off seasickness from their ferryboat trip to defeat Department of Community and Cultural Affairs and Department of Public Safety II, also on consecutive days.

On Friday, Tinian feasted on a tired DCCA team fresh from a softball game, building their lead from the first quarter onwards in posting a 110-93 win.

Jarvin Evangelista was like mercury on the hard court and finished with 28 points to pace Tinian, which also got 21 from center Keith Nabors and 16 from forward Fritz San Nicolas.

Romeo Iginoef played his best game of the season in the loss with 22 points. Ben Pelisamen also added 21 for DCCA.

Like PSS, Tinian was also tested Saturday but held on to beat DPS II, 104-95.

Tinian actually led throughout the game and established 20-plus point leads in the third and early fourth quarters.

But the team from the south got a little complacent near the end, allowing DPS II to make a comeback and a layup by Jerry Ayuyu sliced their lead to 95-91, with a little over two minutes left in the ballgame.

Fortunately for Tinian, Evangelista and forward Juanis King essayed the role of firemen down the stretch, as Tinian remained perfect in 2005.

King finished with 23 and Evangelista 19 points for Tinian, while center Ned Norita and Ayuyu led DPS II with 31 and 20 markers, respectively.

The government league resumes tonight with the lone make-up game between PSS and defending champion Northern Marianas College. The jump at center court is scheduled at 6:30pm.

Friday
First Game

PSS 104 – Villagomez 20, Blechner 19, Van Buren 18, Blondin 9, Lashley 7, White 6, Gross 4, Mendiola 4.

Saipan Mayor’s Office 60 – Borja 20, Demapan 12, Mizutani 11, Palacios 9, Tudela 6, Tupas 2.

Scoring by quarters: 24-14, 52-19, 72-34, 104-60.

Referees: Abner Venus and Dado Vistal.

Second Game

Tinian 110 – Evangelista 28, Nabors 21, San Nicolas 16, King 13, Borja 11, Manglona 9, Kiyoshi 6, Manibusan 6.

DCCA 93 – Iginoef 22, Pelisamen 21, Rangamar 16, Rogolifoi 12, Reyes 8, Pua 4, Dikito 4, Dela Cruz 3, Tenorio 3.

Scoring by quarters: 25-21, 61-49, 84-69, 110-93.

Referees: Mike White and Jess Pacheco.

Saturday
First Game

PSS 91 – Lashley 24, Van Buren 23, White 14, F. Mendiola 9, P. Mendiola 7, Blechner 6, Villagomez 4, Blondin 2, Gross 2.

CHC 74 – Diaz 17, Brostrom 16, Tudela 14, Guerrero 11, Seidler 7, Kalen 5, John Y. 2, Caesar K. 2.

Scoring by quarters: 28-17, 46-35, 62-52, 91-74.

Referees: Abner Venus and Dado Vistal.

Second Game

Tinian 104 – King 23, Evangelista 19, Borja 18, Manibusan 17, Manglona 10, Santos 8, Nabors 6, Kiyoshi 3.

DPS II 95 – Norita 31, Ayuyu 20, Diaz 19, Hocog 10, Pangelinan 7, Quitugua 4, Stephen 2, Manalili 2.

Scoring by quarters: 25-16, 44-35, 84-65, 104-95.

Referees: Ricky Itaas and Jess Pacheco.