FMS closes out season with hoops crown

The Francisco M. Sablan Middle School varsity boys basketball team pose with their coach, Dexter Tenorio, second from right, and PSS Athletics Program director Nick Gross, right, after their championship game against Saipan International School in the IT&E Interscholastic Boys Middle School Basketball League 2022-2023 last Saturday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.(LEIGH GASES)

The 2022-2023 school sports season ended with a bang as Francisco M. Sablan Middle School overpowered the teams in the double-elimination tournament of the IT&E Interscholastic Boys Middle School Basketball League 2022-2023 and emerged with the championship last Saturday.

Even as the games were pushed until the afternoon, the supporters kept the atmosphere electric as they crowded the Marianas High School Gymnasium to witness a heart-stopping 29-26 championship game between No. 2 seed FMS and No. 3 seed Saipan International School.

The Geckos came off a busy and exhausting morning as they pummeled through two teams—No. 1 seed DanDan Middle School and Agape Christian School—to get to the finale against the well-rested Napu Riders.

Francisco M. Sablan Middle School’s Peyton Jake Basa goes for a hard layup attempt as he is defended by Saipan International School’s Moshe Sikkel during the first period of their championship game in the IT&E Interscholastic Boys Middle School Basketball League 2022-2023 last Saturday at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.(LEIGH GASES)

SIS did not let exhaustion tear them down as they put up a good fight against FMS in what seemed to be a high school—not middle school—showdown. The first couple of minutes went by and both teams had yet to score, but FMS’ Giovanni Camacho found the sweet spot and drew first blood, but was immediately retaliated by SIS’ Moshe Sikkel.

Both teams were still trying to get into the groove—as SIS tried to navigate through muscle soreness and with FMS coming off a long break from their game in the morning against DMS.

It was a back-and-forth scoring match when both teams were able to score through both team’s tight defenses—but with aggressive defense came with it many fouls—and SIS capitalized as Aiden Camacho scored 2 points, while Audiescott Iakopo scored 1 point in the first half.

The game was at a deadlock in the first half with neither team able to pull far away from the other—as shots made by FMS were followed by shots by SIS—until the first half ended with just a 1-point FMS lead, 12-11.

Both teams came out from the half time break with a sense of urgency as it was a low scoring and well defended game so far as neither team had easy times at the basket.

A big 3-pointer by SIS’ Daniel Joab got FMS riled up and came up with more aggressive defensive tactics that resulted in more fouls. After another marker by Joab, Aiden Camacho was fouled and made both free throws. However, it was still a close game as FMS’ Peyton Jake Basa made back-to-back layups accompanied by two field goals from Giovanni Camacho.

FMS pushed through SIS’ faltering and tired defense as Dany Defang scored, followed by a crucial shot from 3-point town by Jairus Pangelinan to put them in the lead—but not by much. 

With less than five minutes left in the game, SIS made hasty attacks toward the hoop, as FMS defense were right at their heels—inducing more fouls and two more free throws were made by Theo Joab. 

However, SIS missed opportunities to seal the gap closer with failed free throws and resulted in FMS winning as they put up 6 more points—with SIS unable to catch up anymore as time expired.

FMS head coach Dexter Tenorio, who has been their coach for a year now, said the championship game was like a high school basketball game.

“[SIS players] are very athletic and it was hard for us because it was a really physical game,” he said. “We let them play the rough game, but let us play smart. That’s how we got the championship.”

He said that FMS players, even when there was no official team practice for some time, they still practiced together and that’s how they succeeded. Despite not having an undefeated record in the regular game, they managed to beat top seed DanDan Middle School and push them out of finals contention in the elimination tournament.

The varsity team consisted mostly of 8th graders, with only three 6th graders, and said that they will have a new team next season and will prepare them for it.

Tenorio thanked their supporters, FMS family, his family, the assistant coaches Angel San Nicolas and Ezekial Macario, and God.

FMS 29 – G. Camacho 8, Basa 8, Defan 4, Pangilinan 3, Duenas 2, Lucero 2, D. Camacho 2.
SIS 26 – Camacho 11, D. Joab 7, T. Joab 5, Sikkel 2, Iakopo 1.
Scoring by halves: 12-11; 29-26.