MBA completes semis cast

Marianas Baptist Academy’s Jeong Min Son, third left, loses the ball against the defense of three Saipan International School players during the second quarter of their playoff game in the 2017-2018 Commonwealth Coalition of Private School Association Basketball League yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Marianas Baptist Academy took the last semis seat in the boys high school division of the 2017-2018 Commonwealth Coalition of Private School Association Basketball League after downing Saipan International School in their playoff game, 57-42, yesterday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Dave Lee and Stephen Eo scored in double figures to lift MBA to the easy win and eliminate SIS. Dave had a game-high 20 points, while Eo contributed 15 markers. Min Su Park and Junsik Kim also helped MBA’s cause, as they combined for 14 markers.

Dave and company controlled the win-or-go-home match right from the get-go, as they built an early twin-digit lead after the first quarter, 19-8. Park and Dave teamed up in MBA’s good start as they outgunned the entire SIS crew in the opening eight minutes of the game after firing 13 points. Eo registered the 6 other points of MBA with all of them coming from downtown.

MBA then stretched its lead to as much as 21, 29-8, as it held SIS scoreless in the first three minutes of the second quarter. The Geckos, behind A.J. Hudkins and Eric Kim, then picked up their scoring late in that period after going for a 13-2 windup to stay in the game, 21-31.

However, MBA widened the gap again in the third canto, as Eo waxed hot anew from the 3-point area, knocking down three triples. Dave, who was held to two field goals in the second frame, also regained his form in the penultimate quarter to hand MBA a 50-29 advantage, entering the final period.

The huge lead in the third quarter gave MBA enough cushion against the Geckos’ rally in the fourth. Hudkins and Kim finished with 13 points each on a losing effort for SIS.

With the victory, MBA set up a semis duel against No. 1 seed Mt. Carmel School, which gained an automatic Final Four berth after topping the regular season.

“It will be a tough assignment for us, but we will do our very best. We will treat our game against Mt. Carmel as a championship match, we will play all out,” said MBA coach Brendon Perez.

Incidentally, MBA and Mt. Carmel fought for the division title last season with the Knights prevailing, 50-39. Mt. Carmel coach Francis San Nicolas watched the MBA-SIS playoff game yesterday to scout their semis foe.

San Nicolas and Perez’s players will collide for the first finals berth tomorrow at 3:30pm with the 4-peat seeking Knights heavily favored in the semis tiff. Mt. Carmel defeated MBA twice in the regular season, 43-22, and 58-44.

The winner of the MBA-Mt. Carmel Final Four duel will battle the victor of the Grace Christian Academy-Agape Christian School showdown in the one-game finals this Friday at 4:30pm.

MBA 57— D. Lee 20, Eo 15, Park 7, Jeong 7, Hwang 4, Shin 2, Roh 2.

SIS 42 — Hudkins 15, E. Kim 15, M. Lee 8, Jang 2, Park 2.

Scoring by quarters: 19-8, 31-21, 50-29, 57-42.