[sixcol_five_last]
By Robert Balajadia

A foul gets called on Geckos’ Mathew Soto who tries to defend the post move from Friars’ Michael Sakazaki. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)
Having played more away games than any other team this season, the Friars added another road victory to their win column and have proven that they can win no matter where they play by defeating the GW Geckos 64-52 Saturday night to give them a 10-0 record at the midpoint of the season.
John Baza led the Friars in scoring for the second straight night with 18 points including six points in the final three minutes to extend the lead 61-52 halting a near Gecko comeback.
“All we really did was pressure up on the guards, we knew that was the key. As soon as we pressured them they started turning over the ball and we capitalized on them,” stated Baza.
The Geckos began the fourth trailing 45-41 but never managed to take the lead despite getting a big lift off the bench from Edward Orland who scored five points in the quarter. Nicolas Aglubat played the momentum killer scoring eight points in the fourth, hitting big shots every time the Geckos would get close.
After a layup by Rashaun Blas to cut the FD lead 53-49, Aglubat hit a transition three pointer to give them the 56-49 lead at the three minute mark that got the Friar faithful off their seat in excitement while getting some Geckos fans off their seat as well but for an early exit.
“My coaches have been wanting me to shoot all season. When I get the open shot they want me to shoot it so I’ve been practicing. I just had it going and it was falling today,” Aglubat stated on hitting the big fourth quarter shots. He finished with 17 points.
The Geckos led 17-14 after the first quarter but would not get another lead after a Baza bucket which gave the Friars their first lead 21-20. GW started slow in each quarter going turnover heavy due to the full court pressure by the Friar defense.
Baza closed out the third quarter, much like he did in the fourth, scoring five points in the final two minutes to give the Friars a definitive lead. The Geckos turned to Blas in the closing seconds of the third, scoring four points off acrobatic layups to cut the lead 45-41. It seemed Blas was poised for a fourth quarter takeover, like he has done previous times this season, but the defense took the ball out of his hands forcing other Geckos to take big shots.

Geckos’ Devin Maluwelmeng gets a piece of the ball on a shot attempt from Friars’ Michael Sakazaki. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)
Undefeated means almost nothing to Friar head coach Eddie Pelkey and the winning mind set has definitely settled in with his players. Baza commented on being unbeaten saying, “It really doesn’t matter at all. We just need to focus on every game that is coming, we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves just because we are undefeated. We are taking it one game at a time.”
Blas led the Geckos in scoring with 14 points while Jason Frias added 12 points in the loss. Sakazaki added 14 points for FD alongside the scoring from Baza and Agulbat.
The Friars varsity team will not play another game until the Far East Tournament next week while the Geckos will travel down south to face the ND Royals on Tuesday.
Other Scores
St. Paul 61, JFK 58
Sheik Carino scored team high 28 points to lead the Warriors over a tough Islanders squad. Jason Aquino added 17 points for St. Paul while Paolo Hermosilla led JFK with 15 points.
Sanchez 52, Harvest 51
Guam High 54, Notre Dame 49
JV Scores
Okkodo 69, St. John’s 27
JFK 51, SPC 50
PHOTO GALLERY BROUGHT TO YOU BY:

Geckos’ Jason Frias attempts the fadeaway shot over the Friars defense. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)

Friars’ Michael Sakazaki attempts the jumper over three Geckos defenders. (photo by Errol Alegre, Jr.)
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GPS Sports Calendar
February 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for January
1st
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
2nd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
4th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for February
6th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
7th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
8th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
9th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL FINALS
Events for February
11th
Events for February
13th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
14th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
15th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
16th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
17th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
18th
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for February
19th
SPRINT TRIATHLON, PACIFIC GAMES QUALIFIER
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 2
Events for February
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
21st
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
22nd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
24th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for February
24th
Events for February
25th
Events for February
27th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for February
28th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

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