Lil’Sonics lead Holiday Hoops winners

The 2008 Annual Christmas Basketball Jam concluded Saturday with three teams winning division titles.

The Lil’ Sonics were among the top finishers in the Holiday Hoops and provided the most exciting finale at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium pulling off a come-from-behind win over the San Antonio Sixers, 83-78, in the boys’ 14-and-under title game.

Joining the Lil’Sonics in the champions’ circle were the Lady Knights and the G-Stars, who downed the Lady Ayuyus and Rollers A, in the girls and boys’ 18-and-under division finals, respectively.

The Jesse Tudela-mentored Lil’ Sonics were down by as much as 13 points, 67-54, in the last nine minutes of the game, but managed to recover and steal the win behind the heroics of John Darag, Max Camacho, and Angelo Salas.

The trio scored the Lil’ Sonics last 14 points with Darag and Camacho getting feeds from Salas, who besides calling the plays for his team also nailed crucial baskets in the stretch.

Salas’ layup moved the Sonics within two 71-73, with less than three minutes left in the game. He then set up Camacho for a layup and an undergoal stab in the ensuing plays, which saw the Sixers I making only a free throw, to put the Lil’Sonics in the driver’s seat for the first time since the first half, 75-74.

Still celebrating after grabbing the lead, the Lil’Sonics forgot to play defense on the other end and paid the price, as Jed Villanueva made a layup to regain the upperhand, 76-75. But Lil’ Sonics quickly retook the lead with Salas’ making another deuce and Camacho finding himself free for an underneath basket increasing his team’s lead to three, 79-76, with 1:13 left on the clock.

Sixers I coach Ray Duenas had seen enough and sued for time after Vilanueva was fouled in their offensive set. The Lil’ Sonics was not yet in the penalty, so when play resumed the Sixers were forced to set up a new play, which faltered as Villanueva muffed his baseline drive.

Salas slowly brought the ball down to their frontcourt and just when the Sixers I’s defense thought the Lil’ Sonics guard will waste more time setting up a play, Salas picked up his pace and drove to the right baseline for another basket.

The Sixers I refused to give up despite trailing by five, 81-76, with less than 40 seconds left in the game, and moved within three, 78-83, after John Cenir nailed layup.

With 14.5 seconds remaining on the clock, Duenas was shouting from the sidelines telling his players to give up a foul to save time. But Sixers I wasted five seconds before holding off Darag, who put icing on the cake with his two free throw shots which hit nothing but the bottom of the net.

The last nine seconds of the match saw the Sixers I’s Jack Aranda pulling up for a triple, getting fouled, but missing all his charities, and Villanueva muffing a layup.

The Sixers I were in front at halftime, 49-36, and increased the lead to as much as 13 by putting up a backcourt trapping defense against the rattled Lil’ Sonics. But fatigue caught the Sixers I midway in the second half, allowing Darag, Camacho, and Salas to walk away from the Sixers’ defense and drilled successive baskets.

Darag paced the Lil’Sonics with 21 points, making 13 in the second half, while Salas fired 12 of his 15 in the final 20 minutes of the game. Camacho added 20 markers, also making 12 in the second half. Scott Escalada was the other double figure scorer for the Lil’Sonics hitting 17 markers.

[B]Lady Knights 61, Lady Ayuyus 56[/B]

In the girls’ 14/18-and-under division, the Lady Knights stepped on the pedal in the second half to beat the Lady Ayuyus.

The Lady Knights were ahead by only one at halftime, 27-26, when Roxanne Duenas, Nicole Lebria, and Noelle Calvo led their team’s breakaway in the second half leading by as much as 18 points, 50-32.

Yvonne Bennett tried to bring the Ayuyus back, but fell short, as time was not on their side, and the closest they could get was within four points, (55-59), with only 19 seconds left in the game and the Lady Knights having the possession and the luxury of melting the clock.

Duenas led all scorers with 24 points, while Lebria and Calvo chipped in 18 and 13 markers, respectively.
[B] G-Stars 86, Rollers A 77[/B]

In the boys’ 18-and-under finals, the G-Stars outscored Rollers A in the last 9:40 of the first half, 25-5, to take a commanding 52-30 halftime lead en route to a nine-point title win.

The Rollers A, which was still in the game behind by only two, 25-27, went scoreless for about six minutes before a pair of free throws from Don Teregeyo ended the drought. But these charities were not enough to spark a Rollers A major comeback and repeat the team’s come-from-behind overtime win over the Sonics (120-110) in the semifinals Friday night.

As expected, CNMI Junior National player Jericho Cruz topscored for the G-Stars with 33 points. He drew double figures contribution from Nate Mateo (14 points), Clayton Kenty (11), and Ryan Ichihara (10).

Luizi Reyes paced Rollers A with 23 points, while Don Teregeyo added 22.

[B]Finals Scores

Boys U14[/B] [B]Lil’Sonics 83[/B]—Darag 21, Camacho 20, Escalada 17, Salas 15, Dela Cruz 8, Limes 2.
[B] Sixers 1 78[/B]—Maratita 22, Cenir 21, Francisco 11, Villanueva 10,Aranda 8, Salem 6.

[B]Scoring by halves:[/B] 39-46, 83-78
[B] Girls U14/18[/B] [B]Lady Knights 61[/B]—Duenas 24, N. Lebria 18, Calvo 13, Joseph 4, K. Lebria 2.
[B] Lady Ayuyus 56[/B]—Yvonne Bennett 14, Diaz 12, Hofschneider 10, Repeki 10, Yvette Bennett 8, Mesa 2.
[B] Scoring by halves:[/B] 27-26, 61-56
[B] Boys U18

G-Stars 86[/B]—Cruz 33, N. Mateo 14, Kenty 11, Ichihara 10, Jung 6, D. Mateo 5, Manalili 2, Feria 2, Sablan 1.
[B] Rollers A 77[/B]—Reyes 23, Teregeyo 22, Matagolai 18, Ogarto 5, Tudela 4, Hambros 2, Camacho 2, Namelo 2.

[B]Scoring by halves: [/B]52-30, 86-77.