Ol’Aces win debut in BANMI youth league

Ol’Aces’ Chris Mizer soars for a layup against 670 Sonics defenders during the third quarter of the opening game in the BANMI youth league last Wednesday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Kobe Mendoza starred in Ol’Aces’ fourth-quarter comeback, scoring all his 10 points in the payoff canto, including the team’s last 5 markers. He nailed three crucial free throws in the home stretch to seal the Ol’Aces debut win in the U21 division.

The Ol’Aces leaned on Mendoza’s strong finish after losing a 9-point halftime lead and facing a 5-point deficit, 36-42, entering the fourth period. The Sonics, who are again coached by the returning Jesse Tudela, turned the tables on Ol’Aces in the third after doubling up the latter, 22-8. Jack Aranda brought the Sonics back in the game, as he nearly matched the entire output of Ol’Aces, registering 7 points.

The Ol’Aces were without a field goal in the first four minutes of the second half before Jimmy Tudela canned a jump-hook against Erick Dela Rosa from the right wing. The Sonics, on the other hand, had a 16-2 blast capped by Aranda’s triple to steal the driver’s seat, 35-32. Dela Rosa also contributed in the third-quarter fight-back, draining two straight baskets, while Mike Espinosa hit the Sonics’ last bucket to lift the team to the 6-point cushion, 41-36.

The Ol’Aces trailed after three quarters as only three players scored in the third. Chris Mizer tallied 4 points, while Tudela and Jasper Yap chipped in 2 apiece. Mendoza saw limited minutes in the third and was not even at the starting lineup of Ol’Aces at the beginning of the second half.

He then started out for Ol’Aces in the fourth and took care of business, while getting enough help from his Marianas High School teammate Ignacio Borja, who contributed 6 points in the final frame. Marc Babauta was the third Ol’Aces players to score in the fourth, adding 4 markers, while the Sonics was held to 9 points and three field goals.

Meanwhile, the U18 division of the league kicked off last night with the Chalan Kanoa Saints dueling Kentucky Fried Chicken, but results of the match were unavailable at press time. Six more teams are entered in the U18 division and two will have their debuts today as the CNMI Girls U18 Team takes on the Rollers in the first game at 5:30pm. In the second game at 6:30pm, Laly 4 meets Kentucky Fried Chicken in the U21 division. Then in the U14 division matches tomorrow, it will be Rollers versus Ol’Aces at 9am and DYS against DA Projects at 10:30am.

Ol’Aces 56 – Mizer 15, Mendoza 10, Borja 10, Tudela 8, Babauta 6, Darag 3.

Sonics 50 – Aranda 15, Feria 8, De Guzman 8, Dela Rosa 7, Alegre 4, Fidelino 2, Mariano 2, Espinosa

Scoring by quarters: 12-9, 28-19, 36-41, 56-50.