Basketball

WARRIORS SLICE PANTHERS TO END SEASON

St. Paul defends home turf on senior night, end of regular season

by
GSPN
February 27, 2024

By Carmen Gogue

The St. Paul Warriors blew past the Guam High Panthers 70-52 defending their home court on Tuesday evening as the regular season for the IIAAG Boys Basketball League comes to an end.

Sophomore Michael Bork led the Warriors with 22 points, 12 of which were in the first quarter. Senior Raven Pascual trailed closely with 17 points.

Explosive Start

St. Paul won the jump ball with Bork immediately getting a layup to kickstart the momentum of the Warriors. As the Panthers missed a bucket on the return, Pascual grabbed the rebound and dished it to Bork for another easy layup to put the Warriors up 4-0.

The Panthers found Cameron Brantley for a basket on the inbound to put them on the scoreboard, but Bork quickly acted hitting a floater to keep the lead.

The Warriors frustrated the Panthers on defense allowing Kiko Stinnett and Pascual layups to increase the lead 10-2.

Guam High called a time out to regroup which seemed to work for a short being as Zarius Ward bodied down low for a basket and Aaron Johnson grabbed a steal passing to Brantley who breezed by on the fastbreak to close the lead 10-6.

Although Bork scored another layup, Ward hit a three-pointer to shorten the Warriors lead to just three points 12-9.

Brantley scored a layup for the Panthers but was rapidly shut down by back-to-back layups from Bork paired with back-to-back three pointers from Santino Canovas and Pascual to put the Warriors up 22-11.

The Panthers tried to hold on, but the Warriors momentum only increased ending the first quarter 28-15.

Despite great efforts from the Panthers five, the Warriors offense continued to outscore them in the second quarter ending the half 41-27.

The Warriors did not hold back in the second half with points from all five players in the third quarter to put them up 53-40 and sealing the win in the fourth despite a strong Ward and Brantley performance.