Rollers I starts new winning run

Rollers I continued its recovery in the 2008 Saipan Rotary Club Youth Basketball League, cruising to its second win in a row after downing Rollers II, 58-46, Tuesday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The Rollers I had a 2-0 start, but dropped its next three games, before ending its slide last week beating the Chalan Kanoa Saints, 60-44.

Like the Saints, the Rollers II was an easy prey for the Rollers I.

Brandon Aurelio hit two triples in the first half and had eight points, and coach Joe Diaz drew contributions from every player he fielded in the game putting the Rollers I to a 31-20 halftime lead.

Manny Matagolai added six in the first 20 minutes of the match, while three other players made at least two baskets to give the Rollers I an early control of the driver’s seat.

While the Rollers I had a balanced scoring, Jerry Mabini was the lone bright spot for the Rollers II. He had 10 of their team’s total output in the first half.

Mabini continued to lead the Rollers II and even scored 11 straight points in the closing minutes of the game.

But Mabini’s one-man show was not enough to save the Rollers II from absorbing its seventh loss in the round robin regular season, as the Rollers I still managed to get outputs from its bench to overpower its foes.

Fredo Paez, who was scoreless in the first half, added nine in the second, Don Teregeyo chipped in seven after nailing only a point in the first 20 minutes of the match, and four other players made it into the scoreboard.

The Rollers I is already in the playoffs, while the Rollers II is out of the running. The seven other teams which are already assured of slots to the next round are the CNMI Junior Nationals, San Antonio Sixers, the Saints, the Kontenders, the Suns, the Sonics, and the G-Stars.

The remaining games in the regular season will be played until next week and organizers will start the single-elimination playoffs the following week.

The regular season was extended due to several players and coaches going off-island to compete in a tournament.

The CNMI Junior Nationals were in Guam last week for the 7th FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament. The FIBA caging featured teams from Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, Palau, and New Caledonia.

The Rufino Aguon-coached Junior Nationals placed sixth in the tournament and won over Palau, 100-90, and PNG, 93-84.

G-Stars mentor Jose Tumaquip called the shots for the CNMI cagebelles, who finished seventh after defeating Palau, 64-51.

Rollers I 58 – Paez 9, Matagolai 8, Aurelio 8, D. Teregeyo 8, Danas 7, Deleon Guerrero 7, A. Camacho 5, E. Camacho 4, Ogarto 2, Namelo 1.

Rollers II 46 – Mabini 21, E. Manglona 5, Santos 4, Deleon Guerero 4, M. Manglona 3, Norita 3, Babauta 2, Brennan 2.

Scoring by halves: 31-20, 58-46.