Connect with us

Basketball

ROADRUNNERS DOMINATE SEASON

[sixcol_five_last]

By Patrick Lujan

Roadrunners’ Ahvana Larimer rolls left around her defender Warriors’ Monica Iriarte and heads straight in for the layup. (photo by Jesse Castro)

Roadrunners’ Ahvana Larimer rolls left around her defender Warriors’ Monica Iriarte and heads straight in for the layup. (photo by Jesse Castro)

Fourteen up and 14 down.

The Benavente Middle School Roadrunners capped off a perfect middle school girls basketball league season Wednesday night with a 35-25 win over the Inarajan Warriors down at the historic village.

Eighth grade guard Shania Bulala, playing her last middle school game, led the way with 15 points for the champion Roadrunners, but it wasn’t without a fight from the Warriors.

“Inarajan gave it all they got and pressured us, played aggressive defense. We were only up by six at halftime,” Benavente head coach Erwin Villa said. “They really improved a lot.”

Inarajan’s defensive aggression kept them within striking distance as three frontcourt Roadrunners were dealt with three fouls each by the break.

Benavente broke loose in the third, however, to jump out to a double-digit lead and never looked back.

“In the second half, we played pressure and smarter defense and increased the league. We slowed it down and they had a hard time catching up,” Coach Villa said. “With the girls working together as a team, we were able to hold on. All the girls played and worked hard.”

Ahvana Larimer chipped in 11 points for a Roadrunners team that will return eight of the 12 players for next season.

Warriors’ Darla Flores made her way to the paint while keeping Roadrunners’ Caren Mesias off of her shoulder. (photo by Jesse Castro)

Warriors’ Darla Flores made her way to the paint while keeping Roadrunners’ Caren Mesias off of her shoulder. (photo by Jesse Castro)

Villa said the closest a team came to beating the Dededo school was Astumbo Middle School that came within nine points. All the other games were victories in double digits usually 14-20 point differences.

“The girls that I have are average height. We don’t have tall players so they have to work extra hard.”

Villa said the team will miss Bulala and Brittany Meno, his two quickest and most experienced players since they were in sixth grade.

“They are my leading guards. The good thing about it is Shania is right-handed and Brittany is left-handed.  Middle school is all about driving the ball and layups. With those two to pressure on defense and lead to fastbreaks, that’s what leads our team.”

Villa added that both players are also on the U17 Guam National Basketball Team. Bulala is expected to attend Okkodo High School while Meno is slated to go to JFK.

NOTES: The Roadrunners last won the title in 2011 when they shared with Oceanview Middle School…Villa has been coaching at Benavente since 2000.

 

PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

http://www.akguam.com/ou/tamuning-scion/

Warriors’ Elyze Pocaigue knocks down her free throw shot in the first half. (photo by Jesse Castro)

Warriors’ Elyze Pocaigue knocks down her free throw shot in the first half. (photo by Jesse Castro)

Roadrunners’ Ylisiah Rai Jorda set out on the fast break to the hoop.  (photo by Jesse Castro)

Roadrunners’ Ylisiah Rai Jorda set out on the fast break to the hoop. (photo by Jesse Castro)

Warriors’ Monica Iriarte set her shot up with the help of her teammate Michaela Topasna. (photo by Jesse Castro)

Warriors’ Monica Iriarte set her shot up with the help of her teammate Michaela Topasna. (photo by Jesse Castro)

Ahvana Larimer hits the running layup after a steal and fast break. (photo by Jesse Castro)

Ahvana Larimer hits the running layup after a steal and fast break. (photo by Jesse Castro)

[fbshare url=” http://www.gspnlive.com/basketball/roadrunners-dominate-season/” type=”button”][fblike url=” http://www.gspnlive.com/basketball/roadrunners-dominate-season/” style=”standard” showfaces=”false” width=”450″ verb=”like” font=”arial”]

[/sixcol_five_last][useful_banner_manager_banner_rotation banners=16, 69, 38, 53 interval=8 width=120 height=600 orderby=rand]

Ad

GPS Sports Calendar

May

June 2023

July
SU
MO
TU
WE
TH
FR
SA
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
Events for May

31st

No Events
Events for June

1st

No Events
Events for June

2nd

No Events
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Events for June

3rd

No Events
Events for June

4th

No Events
Events for June

5th

No Events
Events for June

6th

No Events
Events for June

7th

No Events
Events for June

8th

No Events
Events for June

9th

No Events
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Events for June

10th

No Events
Events for June

11th

No Events
Events for June

12th

No Events
Events for June

13th

No Events
Events for June

14th

No Events
Events for June

16th

Events for June

17th

18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Events for June

18th

Events for June

18th

No Events
Events for June

19th

No Events
Events for June

20th

No Events
Events for June

21st

No Events
Events for June

22nd

No Events
Events for June

23rd

No Events
25
26
27
28
29
30
1
Events for June

25th

Events for June

25th

No Events
Events for June

26th

No Events
Events for June

27th

No Events
Events for June

28th

No Events
Events for June

29th

No Events

COMING SOON …

GUAM SPORTS ON HOLD DUE TO SUPER TYPHOON MAWAR

QUICK HITS

Bishop Obispos beat Mt. Carmel for the IIAAG Middle School Girls Basketball championship 37-25.
—————————————-
The Benavente Roadrunners crushed the Agueda Pirates 17-1 to win the 76 PONY Middle School Baseball League. Rodney San Nicolas was a beat, striking out 13 batters in a complete game while going 4-for-4 at the plate, including a homer and 4 RBI.

 

More in Basketball