CNMI Nationals remain on top

The CNMI Nationals are still on top of the standings in the 2008-2009 BANMI/Budweiser Basketball League following a 99-77 rout of Diamond Auto Care Monday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The win was the Nationals’ seventh in eight games, putting them a victory ahead of second placers Ol’Aces (6-2) and IT&E (6-2).

A 37-21 run allowed the CNMI Nationals to go home with a 22-point winning margin after three closely fought periods.

The Nationals, which also whipped Diamond in the first round, 79-59, were ahead by a hair in the first period, 22-21, and increased the lead in the second quarter, 42-33, before Diamond inched in closer at the end of the third canto, 42-33.

The fourth period was an all Nationals show led by an offensive outburst from guard Allen Moses. Moses fired 15 of his 20 points in the fourth period, including eight straight markers in a span of two minutes. He made three triples in the final period, conspiring with Marvin Rabauliman and Pete Iguel in the fourth-quarter breakaway. Iguel and Rabauliman combined for 16 points in the last period.

Moses’ impressive offensive game made up for the absence of gunner Jericho Cruz, who played on Tinian the same night the Nationals dueled the Auto Fixers.

Diamond had its three-game winning streak snapped and the team dropped to a 3-5 record, tying Quichocho Law Office for fourth to fifth place in the team standings.

In the first game, the Ol’Aces outgunned IT&E in the last 4:53 of the game, 18-10, to improve to a 6-2 record and tie the latter in second place.

The game was deadlocked for the last time at 84-all, after Andres “Juhn” Estolas Jr. split his charities. Romeo Iginoef then sparked a decisive 10-0 run to give the Ol’Aces a double-digit lead, 94-84, going into the last two minutes of the game.

Estolas broke IT&E’s silence with a layup, but IT&E was held to only a field goal after that basket, losing their chance to recover and take solo second place in the team standings.

Freddie Pelisamen exploded for a season-high 44 point for the Ol’Aces, who prevailed over IT&E in the first round with a 128-125 double overtime win.

Ol’Aces 102[/B] – Pelisamen 44, Rangamar 21, Renguul 12, Iginoef 10, C. Camacho 9, White 3, Omar 2, P. Camacho 1.
[B] IT&E 94[/B] – Estolas 25, Bernardo 24, Abuel 17, De Dios 9, Ruluked 6, Montano 4, Ranola 4, Mendiola 3.

CNMI Nationals 99[/B] – Rabauliman 25, Iguel 21, Moses 20, Johnson 14, Tumaquip 6, Chariton 2.