The CNMI Junior Nationals cruised to a 51-37 victory over Palau in the women's division of the 2013 U19 Micronesian Basketball Tournament last Tuesday night at the Father Duenas Memorial School Phoenix Centre in Hagatna.

The win was second in as many games for the Preston Basa-coached CNMI cagebelles, who also notched a double-digit triumph against Guam U16, 45-29, during the MBT opener last Sunday. After its 14-point win over Palau, the CNMI has one game left in the preliminary round and was set to play Guam U19 last night for the top spot. The victor of last night's game will then duel the loser of the Palau vs Guam U16 tiff for the first semis game today at 8pm, while the other Final Four pairing is set for tomorrow at 7pm.

The CNMI boosted its chances for the top seeding in the four-team tournament after drawing a big game from Rachel Abrams. Abrams made life difficult for Palau defenders, as she dominated the paint and scored a game-high 24 points. The Marianas High School student also collared 12 rebounds and had three steals. She shot 9-for-18 from the field, went 6-for-10 from the foul line, and committed only two errors in about 32 minutes played. Jeraldine Castillo backed up Abrams, as the former contributed 15 markers on a 7-for-14 field goal shooting.

Jeraldine Castillo and Abrams started out for the CNMI, along with Jeralyn Castillo, Lily Williams, and Jaime Mendoza. The Commonwealth starters went on to hold Palau to one field goal in the first five minutes of play to open a 8-2 lead and wrapped up the first quarter with a 14-7 advantage.

The CNMI continued to outgun Palau in the second canto with Abrams mostly doing the damage and Castillo and Williams providing some help. By the end of the first half, the CNMI's lead ballooned to 20, 32-12. Palau was only behind by 11 midway in the second canto, 12-23, but went scoreless in the final half of that period, allowing the CNMI to build a promising advantage.

Abrams and company never looked back from thereon and led by as much as 24 early in the fourth canto, 47-23, as Palau could not find someone to anchor a big rally in the second half. Only Mahealani Adelbai scored in double figures for Palau with her 12 points, but most of them came when the game was already in the bag for the CNMI.

MEN'S
Palau 75, CNMI 72

In the final game last Tuesday, the CNMI had a heartbreaker against Palau to finish the preliminary round winless in three matches.

The CNMI was ahead by 6 at the break, 40-34, and still had the upper hand midway in the fourth quarter when it failed to neutralize Marvic Ngchar in the payoff canto, allowing Palau to steal the win.

Ngchar scored 32 big points and according to a report posted at the Guam Sports Network, the Palau forward canned a crucial field goal and two free throws in the homestretch to deny the CNMI entry to the win column. With the loss, the CNMI will be pitted against the undefeated Guam U19 in the semifinals tomorrow, while Palau and Guam U16 will collide in the other Final Four match.

Palau and the CNMI engaged in a back-and-forth match with the former taking 22-19 lead at the end of the first period and the latter grabbing the driver's seat at halftime, 40-34. The Commonwealth bets managed to stretch the advantage to 9 in the opening half of the third canto, 49-40, before Ngchar led a Palau rally to reclaim the lead, 57-55.

After wasting a 9-point cushion, the CNMI regrouped early in the fourth behind the successive baskets of Jack Aranda for a 66-63 lead, going into the final five minutes of the payoff canto. However, Ngchar stepped up in the final half of the fourth quarter to hand Palau its first win.

WOMEN'S

CNMI 51 - Abrams 24, Jeral. Castillo 15, Williams 7, Javier 2, Jeraly. Castillo 2, Alegre 1.

Palau 37 - Adelbai 12, Misech 8, Ksano 7, Kumaichi 6, Azuma 2, Kebekol 2.

Scoring by quarters: 14-7, 32-12, 45-23, 51-37.

MEN'S

Palau 75 - Ngchar 32, Dorado 10, Emisiochel 6, Rdialul 6, Isao 2, Upsman 1.

CNMI 72 - Aranda 17, Babauta 15, Mizer 11, Pettis 10, Dela Rosa 8, Alegre 6, Tudela 3, Maui 2.

Scoring by quarters: 22-19, 34-40, 57-55, 75-72.