Inaugural SMEC-SMLEC Basketball tourney underway

The Inaugural SMEC-SMLEC Invitational Basketball Tournament 2023 went underway Sunday afternoon with a parade of teams and games at the newly refurbished Gualo Rai Basketball Court.

An hour after the opening ceremony, the league opened up with the first game between Blue Haus and Legends in the masters division. 

Down by 14 points at the end of the first quarter, 15-29, Blue Haus bounced back in the second quarter as they sped up their game and made more accurate shots. 

First intimidated by Legends’ Kelvin Fitial’s sheer size and aggressiveness with rebounds and defense, Blue Haus made up for it with points from 3-point country. 

Blue Haus’ Elmer Esdrelon contributed 9 points just from 3-pointers, while Jay-R Barrios and Junar Guiab contributed one each. 

Legends’ defense started to break down in the second quarter and Blue Haus took advantage with fastbreak shots at the net. The second quarter ended in favor of Blue Haus, 34-31, in a close game. 

But by the end of the third quarter, Blue Haus pulled away further into the lead, 58-44, largely in part due to Barrios’ pinpoint shooting. At the end of the game, he had 20 markers—the most from both teams. 

Guiab helped out with the cause by shooting 13 of his own, followed by Brendon Talania’s 11 points. In the end, Blue Haus had a comfortable lead early in the fourth quarter and won by 22 points, 76-54. 

The two other masters games were between Loving Hands and The Game, with a close win by Loving Hands, 85-84. 

Checkpoint then blew out JTM, 80-58 in the last game of the night. 

The tourney is organized by Saipan Magalahi Eagles Club and the Saipan Maga’Haga Lady Eagles Club. The games are from Monday to Saturday, 6pm to 10pm. 

The opening ceremony last Saturday was attended by the Saipan Mayor Ramon “RB” Camacho, special assistant for Youth Affairs Delbert Pua, the teams, club members, friends, family, and community members.

Camacho recognized the clubs for putting the tournament together, thanked the sponsors, the teams, and players. He said he was touched by the young athletes that are joining the tournament. “This program is what I’m promoting and I humbly ask each and every one of you to support this program in our community,” he said.

He said he surveyed and counted 42 basketball courts on Saipan and said he is looking for funding to get the courts solar powered. “Basketball courts and any sport benefits individuals and promotes healthy lifestyles. We need to do this. We don’t want to see any of us in the hospital with diseases.”

There are eight teams in the masters division, 16 teams in the open division, and four teams in the 14-and-under division.

In the masters division, the eight teams are Vision Insurance, MYMP, Legends, Lakay, Long Shot, Win Pacific, Blue Haus, and JSN.

The open division has 16 teams: Priority Care, Loving Hands, Vik Team, Bridge Capital, Winners, Rollers, Easy Rider, CheckPoint, Socho I, Socho II, CK Saints, IT&E, JTM, Home Smart, The Game, and Solid North

All four teams from Mad Flex Sports populate the 14U division.

The league thanked Camacho, Precinct 3 Rep. Vicente Camacho (D-Saipan), Mr. Ben Barcinas, and to the Gualo Rai neighborhood for the support.

Sponsors and donors for the league are IT&E, Hawaiian Rock Products, Numbers International, Success International, RNV-Best Deal, Boarderline, Cafe Meraki, Chang Ming, Citrine Restaurant & Cafe, Triple R Auto Shop, Royal Pacific Express, Sophia Althea Jewelry, Islander Rent A Car, Puerto Rico Bento, 9 Eleven Resto Bar, Bourbon Street Bar & Cafe, 5Ps Collection, Meals 4 U, JCE Services, LLC., Multiline Supply, 6JMS Sports Bar & Grill, Blue Haus Trading, Check Point Intl., and 100.3KWAW FM.

Blue Haus 76 – Barrios 20, Guiab 13, Talania 11, Esdrelon 9, De Dios 9, Diaz 4, Perede 4, Santos 2, Capalad 2, Culala 2.

Legends 54 – De Guzman 13, Fitial 11, Tibayan 8, Fundador 7, Tabora 6, Abuy 6, Guinto 1. 

Scoring by quarters: 15-29, 34-31, 58-44, 76-54.