The S.J. Ol’Aces outclassed the defending champions Sonics, 49-39, in the first game in the U19 division of the 22nd Annual Saipan Rotary Club Youth Basketball League last Friday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

With the win, the S.J. Ol’Aces remained undefeated in two games, while the Sonics absorbed their first loss after going 2-0. The Sonics won their debut against Proa/Mariana Resort, 69-43, late last month and then routed the Rollers, 60-34, last Monday.

The defending champions went on to miss their third victory in a row, after making only two field goals and 4 points in the fourth quarter. Up by a precarious one-point lead, 39-38, the Sonics were scoreless for the remaining six minutes and change in the final canto.

In contrast, the S.J. Ol’Aces closed out strong with Chris Mizer leading the team’s offense. His triple going into the final three minutes of the match gave the S.J. Ol’Aces more distance, 43-39. A Darius Pettis drive off three Sonics defenders made it a 6-point game and after another Sonics miss, Kobee Mendoza fed Mizer for a baseline drive to up the lead to 8, 47-39.

The Sonics had a lot of time left to mount a comeback with the clock reading at 1:45, but their shots simply could not fall in, while Mendoza went 2-for-2 from the foul line on the other end to ice it for the S.J. Ol’Aces.

Mizer top-scored in the S.J. Ol’Aces’ second win in as many games with his 15 points, while Pettis added 12. Jaymark De Guzman paced the Sonics with his 11 markers, but he scored most of them in the second canto, and was one of the only two players of the defending champions to buy a basket in the fourth period. Jack Aranda was the other one, but he finished with only 7 points and connected only one triple.

The Sonics guard drilled three treys in their domination of the rollers last Monday and totaled 15 markers.

The Sonics took control of their game against the Rollers right from the start and unleashed the killer blows in the fourth canto. The Sonics were ahead by only 11 at the end of the third, 37-26 when they scored 23 points against the 8 of the Rollers to take the 26-point winning margin.

The defending champions held the Rollers to single digit in scoring in three of the four quarters in the game to move up to a 2-0 record before bowing to the S.J. Ol’Aces.

MONDAY

Sonics 60 – Aranda 15, Feria 12, Tudela 8, Javier 8, N. Salem 4, Alegre 4 Dela Rosa 4, Borromeo 3.

Rollers 34 – Espinosa 11, Morales 7, Aldan 5, Ano 4, Iglecias 3, Cayading 2, Fidelino 2.

Scoring by quarters: 13-8, 21-14, 37-26, 60-34.

FRIDAY

S.J. Ol’Aces 49 – Mizer 15, Pettis 12, Babauta 7, Mendoza 5, Olopai 4, Maui 3.

Sonics 39 – De Guzman 11, Aranda 7, Feria 6, Salem 5, Dela Rosa 4, Alegre 2, Tudela 2.

Scoring by quarters: 13-8, 27-20, 35-35, 49-39.