Camry, Saints barge into win column
Toyota Camry and the Saints notched their first wins of the season in the resumption of the 2005 Saipan Rotary Club Summer Youth Basketball League Tuesday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
In the first game, Toyota gunners Steven Kim and Maverick Itibus finally found their groove and led the Oleai team to a 71-57 conquest of Sparks.
Pressuring the younger and inexperienced Sparks right from the beginning paid a lot of dividends for Camry, as they were able to get ahead and erected a comfortable margin at halftime, 51-23.
It was more of the same in the second half, as Toyota continued to slam the accelerator before Sparks tried to mount a charge in the final couple of minutes that was again too little, too late.
Kim finished with 20 and Itibus 19 for Toyota, while Jeff Deleon Guerrero and Kovin Ogumoro added 12 and 11 points for good measure. Jojo Ulloa paced Sparks in a losing cause with 16, while Mario Patrinus added 10.
The win lifted Toyota’s record to 1-1, while the Sparks dropped to 1-2 in the win-loss standings.
In the second game, Saints also leveled its record to .500 after squashing the hapless Hoops team, 56-37.
The boys from Chalan Kanoa had a slow start and led Hoops by just four points in the opening half, 25-21.
Veteran Luis Reyes, however, joined hands with his equally sharpshooting brother, L.J., as the Saints buried Hoops under an avalanche of points and won running away.
Luis Reyes finished with 29 points to topscore for Saints, while L.J. Reyes chipped in 10 markers. Angel Palacios fired 12 points to lead Hoops, which dropped its third game in as many starts.
First Game
Toyota Camry 71 – Kim 20, Itibus 19, Deleon Guerrero 12, Ogunoro 11, Barcinas 6, M. Babauta 2, R. Babauta 1.
Sparks 57 – Ulloa 16, Patrinus 10, Diaz 9, J. Iguel 6, King 5, Ogarto 4, Camacho 3, E. Iguel 2, Salas 2.
Scoring by halves: 51-23, 71-57.
Referees: Jess Pacheco and Noel Delos Santos.
Second Game
Saints 56 – Luis Reyes 29, L.J. Reyes 10, San Nicolas 6, Magday 4, Lizama 4, Kim 2, Luizi Reyes 1.
Hoops 37 – A. Palacios 12, Delos Reyes 8, Norita 6, Manglona 3, Sablan 2, King 2, Dela Cruz 2.
Scoring by halves: 25-21, 56-37.
Referees: Dado Vistal and Noel Delos Santos.