All set for MISA boys and girls showdowns

Both Saipan Southern High School Manta Rays teams earned championship tickets, but will have to get by the Mt. Carmel School Knights and Marianas High School Lady Dolphins, who also put up big numbers during Saturday’s MISA High School Basketball League semifinals to advance to the big show today at the MHS Gym.

The second-seeded Lady Dolphins were the first to clinch a spot in the girls’ title game by beating the fourth-ranked Kagman High School Ayuyus, 66-49.

Werlly Quitugua continued to carry the load for the Lady Dolphins, helping her squad take a 36-24 lead after the first half with 18 points.

The Lady Dolphins kept pushing the ball and built their lead to 18 points, 53-34, before going on cruise control the rest of the match.

Quitigua finished with a game-high 26 points while Emy Oiterong and Shaunna Yang supported with 11 and 10 points for the Lady Dolphins.

Mallory Conner and Jessica Takai paced the Ayuyus with 11 and 10 points.

In the second game of the day, the No. 2 Knights avenged their loss to the No. 3 Dolphins the night before by taking their semifinal bout, 82-79.

Like their previous bout, both teams matched each other point for point. Entering the fourth quarter, the two teams were neck and neck at 58 points apiece.

The Knights, however, mustered just enough juice to outscore the opposition, 24-21, to earn the win and barge into the finals.

Dan Barcinas and Jeffrey Deleon Guerrero led the Knights with 28 and 26 points, while Stephen Kim pumped in 11 points, seven coming in the decisive fourth period.

Christian Dela Cruz led a determined Dolphins squad with 19 point, while Joemar Tumaquip and Maverick Itibus contributed 15 points apiece.

The top-seeded SSHS girls then took the court and were able to stave off an upset behind a late surge that gave them a 36-24 victory over the Grace Christian Academy Eagles.

Leading only by a point after the first period, 6-5, the Mantas picked up their defensive intensity and with the help of a struggling Eagles squad, which was held scoreless in the second quarter, padded their lead to 12-5 at the break.

The Eagles soared back at the start of the second half and got back into contention with a 10-4 run in the third stanza to pull to within three points, 15-18.

The Mantas, however, quickly put an end to any hopes of an upset with an 18-point flurry in the last 10 minutes to advance to the finale.

Henny Elayda and Nicole Rios shined for the Mantas, combining for 17 of the 18 points in the final period. Elayda finished with 17 points while Rios sliced and diced for 10 points to lead their team.

Soly Camacho and Jazmine Anastacio scored eight and five points for the Eagles.

The SSHS boys, also the top seed in the boys division, capped the day with a lopsided 124-82 victory over Kagman High School, making sure their school will be represented in both championship games.

Lester Babauta was in a zone of his own from the start and drilled in 11 points to spearhead the Mantas to a 27-9 lead after 10 minutes of play.

The route was on and the Mantas showed no mercy by lighting up the scoreboards and scoring 36 points in both the third and the fourth quarters to leave with the 42-point victory margin.

Babauta and Julian Ranas fired up 28 and 23 points, while Tyrone Palacios and Jason Bahillo sizzled with 16 and 13 points. Mike Eclevia also chipped in with 10 points, capping the SSHS scoring spree with a bomb launched near the half court line.

For his part, Zack Diaz was a force for Kagman, torching the nets for a game-high 38 points, while Mario Patrinus swooshed in 13 points.

The girls championship game is scheduled to tip off at 4pm, while the boys will follow at 5:30pm.

First game

MHS 66—Quitugua 26, Oiterong 11, Yang 10, J. Jang 9, E. Jang 4, Iakopo 4, Ermitano 2.

KHS 49—Conner 11, Takai 10, Mobel 8, Falig 8, Guiao 5, Reiman 4, Diaz 2.

Scoring by quarters: 17-8, 36-23, 52-34, 66-49.

Referees: Arnold Mesa and Noel Delos Santos.

Second game

MCS 82—D. Barcinas 28, J. Deleon Guerrero 26, Kim 11, Ogumoro 8, J. Sablan 5, Naraja 4, A. Barcinas 2.

MHS 79—Dela Cruz 19, Itibus 15, Joe. Tumaquip 15, Paez 8, Jos. Tumaquip 8, Hocking 6, Tarkong 6, Tebuteb 2.

Scoring by quarters: 16-11, 37-35, 58-58, 82-79.

Referees: Ricky Itaas and Jess Pacheco.

Third game

SSHS 36—Elayda 17, Rios 10, Ito 3, Omar 2, Coleman 2.

GCA 24—Camacho 8, Anastacio 5, Arnold 4, Ta 3, Hofschneider 2, Phan 2.
Scoring by quarters: 6-5, 12-5, 18-15, 36-24.
Referees: Noel Delos Santos and Arnold Mesa.

Fourth game

SSHS 124—L. Babauta 28, Ranas 23, T. Palacios 16, Bahillo 13, Eclevia 10, Echon 8, F. Palacios 6, Aranda 4, Lizama 4, B. Babauta 4, Apelo 2, Quitano 2, Alvarez 2.

KHS 82—Diaz 38, Patrinus 13, Leon Guerrero 7, Moses 6, Raymond 6, George 5, Ada 2, Salas 2, Steve 2, Leeroy 1.

Scoring by quarters: 27-9, 55-28, 88-52, 124-82.

Referees: Ricky Itaas and Jess Pacheco.