D’Fixers rebound to take title

Diamond Fixers kept their cool this time and were rewarded with the championship of the Saipan Ice & Water Co., Inc. 20th Anniversary Basketball League.

The pennant champions rebounded from their Game 1 collapse and subdued a never-say-die Micronesian Brokers Inc. team, 104-96, in Game 2 of the finals Saturday night at the CMS Court.

Kevin Aldan followed up his brilliant performance in the opener with an even more impressive game in the do-or-die match by pumping in 36 points in the clincher.

Aldan however was not alone in delivering the championship to Diamond Fixers. Boy Garcia fouled out for the second straight game but not before the veteran swingman opened up the inside with his clutch outside shots en route to 13 points.

William Opone also kept his temper in check and had a big game with 30 makers. Point guard Day Ray Hernandez also orchestrated his team well and scored when left alone, finishing with 18 points.

The team swept the first round only to surrender their twice-to-beat advantage Thursday by spending more time complaining to referees and table officials than actually battling MBI.

Although, Diamond Fixers occasionally still tried to passionately get their points across officials Saturday, this time they backed up their argument with a steadier offense and blanketing defense that put the clamps on MBI’s key players.

Diamond Fixers exploded from the gates and led 34-21 after the first quarter. They didn’t let up in the second quarter either and entered halftime with a 58-42 spread.

MBI leading scorer Elbyn Cecilia got into a groove in the third and single-handedly chopped Diamond Fixers’ advantage, which stood at 11 points going into the fourth and final quarter.

In the payoff period, MBI elevated their play several notches, while Diamond Fixers began playing not to lose rather than playing to win.

MBI outscored Diamond Fixers in the first six minutes of the payoff period, capped off by an Alvin Alvarez bucket that cut the deficit to 89-83 with 3:09 left.

The lead would swing from seven to eight points before two free throws by Opone made it 95-85 with a little over a minute to go, which for all intents and purposes sealed the deal for Diamond Fixers.

Garcia, who is Diamond Fixers playing coach, said his team made the necessary adjustments in Game 2 and that was the reason why they won.

“We changed our strategy. We tried to open up things inside by shooting from the outside. I also told them the championship is ours. We only got sidetracked in Game 1 but it really belongs to us,” he said.

MBI general manager Kitz Barja congratulated Diamond Fixers for winning the championship and said his boys were not able to match their opponents hunger for the title.

“We didn’t bring the same kind of intensity we brought in the last game. There was also a breakdown on our shuffling of players and that was apparent in the final quarter, when we made a run only to come up short at the end,” he said.

Cecilia equaled Aldan’s total with 36 points, while Rene Pe, Jeff Garcia, and Gerry Gayo added 14 or more points in the loss.

Before the game, MBI’s Mario Diola defeated other long-range marksmen from other teams to become the 3-point shootout king.

Diamond Fixers 105 – Aldan 36, Opone 30, Hernandez 18, Garcia 13, Peleno 6, Lauron 2.

MBI 96 – Cecilia 36, Pe 19, Garcia 17, Gayo 14, Alvarez 6, Palero 4.

Scoring by quarters: 34-21, 58-42, 74-63, 105-96.

Referees: Ricky Itaas and Richard Pambid.