No April Fools: Hoopaholics take solo lead

Hoopaholics’ players battled through fatigue and cramps to defeat Toyota-Prius, 87-79, in the undefeated teams’ April Fools encounter in the BANMI 25-and-under Basketball League Friday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Seeing action in the opening game, the defending champions struggled early in the face of Toyota’s Jack Rabbit start, which saw human pogo stick Jeremy Winkfield score eight points, and with the Oleai-based team firing on all cylinders, coach Elias Rangamar and his boys took the opening quarter, 24-15.

But former Chuuk and CNMI national team member Sivas Awes used his 6’2” frame to great advantage in the second quarter, answering Winkfield’s explosion by scoring eight points of his own to help the Northern Marianas College and SaipanCell-backed squad to narrow the gap, 34-36, at the break.

It was a veritable dogfight after the 10-minute halftime intermission with both teams giving up no corners, scratching for every possession, fighting for every loose ball, and playing like there was no tomorrow.

With Winkfield limping because of a suspected ankle sprain, Toyota turned to his equally energetic backcourt mate for help putting the rock through the net and Dan Barcinas didn’t disappoint, scoring nine points on an array of acrobatic layups and pull-up jumpers.

Unfortunately for Toyota, Awes picked the right time to play his best game of the young season, adding 10 points to the 12 he already put up in the first half, and in doing so powered Hoopaholics to a 64-60 lead going into the fourth and final quarter.

In the payoff period, both teams played in an extremely high level, as Hoopaholics and Toyota players were up and down the court like a blur.

Awes got some unexpected help from Mel Manibusan, as the 6’3” behemoth had his way inside against Toyota’s thin frontline, stepping up with eight fourth-quarter points.

With Winkfield on the bench because of the injury, Rangamar was forced to lean on his other reliables, who played hard but didn’t get the needed breaks at the end.

Paul Magcalas scored five on a 3 and two free throws, while Barcinas had a couple of buckets but those proved not enough, as Hoopaholics made a late-game run despite the fatigue that all but sealed the deal and allowed them to remain as the only unscathed team for the season.

Awes led five Hoopaholics in double figures with 23 points, while guard Jason Amado added 15. Defensive specialists Jerry Diaz, James Villacrusis and Manibusan tossed in 10 apiece.

Injury and all, Winkfield still paced Toyota with 17 points. Barcinas was good for 16 and starting center Ambrose Ogumoro acquitted himself well with 14, six points coming in the final 10 minutes of the ballgame.

In the second game, Wildcats edged Ghasias 7-Kings, 85-84, in a down-the-wire finish capped by a basket from 2004 IVYBL scoring champ Preston Basa.

J.R. Ngeskebei scored 14 points for the San Antonio team, which survived yet another high-scoring outing by Freddie Pelisamen, who knocked in 30 points.

First Game

Hoopaholics 87 – Awes 23, Amado 15, Diaz 10, Manibusan 10, Villacrusis 10, Sablan 6, Mendiola 4, Fejeran 4, Lee 4.

Toyota-Prius 79 – Winkfield 17, Barcinas 16, Ogumoro 14, Magcalas 11, Dillay 11, Tagabuel 6, Olaitaman 4.

Scoring by quarters: 15-24, 34-36, 64-60, 79-86.
Referees: Dado Vistal and Jess Pacheco.

Second Game

Wildcats 85 – Ngeskebei 14, Yu 13, Basa 12, H. Sablan 11, Echon 8, Koyoshi 6, Ranas 5, B. Sablan 4, Kapileo 2.

7-Kings 84 – F. Pelisamen 30, B. Kaipat 21, B. Pelisamen 20, J. Kaipat 7, J. Pelisamen 6.

Scoring by quarters: 21-30, 42-42, 58-62, 85-84.

Referees: Elias Rangamar and Noel Delos Santos.