IVYBL starts playoff phase

The 2004 Island-wide Village Youth Basketball League is winding down next week with the 14-and-under competition set to start its playoff round next Monday and the champion team expected to hoist the trophy by Thursday.

On Monday, July 19, the top seed and pennant champions Garapan Rollers I take on final qualifier and sister team Garapan Rollers II starting at 5:30pm.

The G-Rollers I went undefeated in the eliminations finishing with a perfect 11-0 mark. Expected to lead them against their kin our hotshots Daniel Lizama and Joemar Tumaquip.

Despite limping to the playoff round in last place—three games below 500—the G-Rollers II are just happy to get a crack at scoring a king-size upset. Leading the underdogs are Wes Tomokane and Dong Xingyou.

The second game beginning at 7:30pm then pits pennant runner-up 69ers versus seventh seeded Chalan Kanoa Kings. The 69ers were led by the irrepressible Preston Basa in their 10-1 march through the eliminations, while expected to carry the load for the Kings is the tandem of Manuel Ajoste and Mark Dela Cruz.

Playoff action in the IVYBL resumes the next day, Tuesday, with San Antonio Sixers sizing up the Matansa Sparks. The Sixers went 8-3 in the eliminations to wound up as the third seed. They will be bannered by Jason Bahillo and Mike Eclevia.

Sparks, meanwhile grabbed the No. 6 spot in the playoffs after going 6-5 in the opening round. Joe Ulloa would’ve to get plenty of support from his teammates for Sparks to have a real chance against the Sixers.

The fourth and final game of the playoff’s first round features No. 4 Spiders squaring off against No. 5 Chalan Kanoa Saints.

Both teams finished the elimination phase with similar 7-4 win-loss marks. But the web-slingers grabbed the higher seed after topping the Saints in their only game in the first round.

Leading the charge for the eight-legged freaks are Calvin Fejeran, Ryan Manglona, and Jessie Blesoch, while expected to carry the torch for the Saints is Larry Sugiyama.

Winners of the Monday encounter will face off in the first semifinal game starting at 5:30pm on Wednesday. Tuesday’s winners then do battle beginning at 7:30pm.

The two teams left standing after Wednesday then duke it out for all the marbles on Thursday at 7:30pm. Preceding the finals tiff is the battle for third between the non-winners of Wednesday’s semifinal bash.

The venue for all the games from the playoff round, to the semis, to the championship is the Garapan court.