Sharks take bite out of MVP in KFC tournament win

Sharks take bite out of MVP in KFC tournament win The Sharks Club came from behind to defeat Team MVP 49-46 in a thrilling KFC Summer League U18 Boys championship game held at the Guam National Basketball Training Facility in Tiyan. The Sharks, who trailed for 39 minutes and 30 seconds, all but 30 seconds, never gave up, hustling on every possession. The Sharks, clawing their way back into the game and stealing the trophy away from Team MVP, extended the game with offensive rebounds off of missed free throws. Ralph Macaldo and Sthannlie Vitug came up big for the Sharks. Early in the contest, MVP was on a roll and looked as if they were going to coast to a victory. But down the stretch, they didn't grab the key rebounds. Trailing by three points, MVP was at the free-throw line and made the first shot but missed the second, cutting the deficit to 46-45. On the second free-throw attempt, after a hard miss turned into a long rebound, the Sharks' Aidan Bonbon grabbed the board and converted the bucket. On the ensuing play, Bonbon went to the foul line and missed. Another long rebound went into the hands of Vitug, who was immediately fouled. With seconds left on the clock, Vitug made both free throws, securing the win. MVP's Blaise Ada had a shot to tie the game, but a 30-footer missed the intended target. 'We knew they were a very good team, but we wanted to show the league that we wanted it more,' Macaldo said. 'And it showed because we hustled for those rebounds.' Macaldo, with 18 points and 10 rebounds, finished with a double-double. But it was Vitug's big 12-point fourth quarter that catapulted the Sharks to victory. Also, defense and crashing the boards aided in the win. 'Boxing out at the end was really important,' Vitug said. Deep inside crunchtime Vitug, Macaldo and Bonbon had big offensive rebounds, which seemed to breathe life into the upset-minded Sharks. Leading up to the final sequence, Vitug's aggressive drives kept the Sharks within striking distance. 'Coach told me to drive or pass to the bigs in the fourth quarter,' said Vitug, who, in the fourth quarter, scored 12 of the Sharks' 17 points. 'On defense, we tried to contain Blaise Ada. His perimeter shooting is good, and we had to make sure someone was on him at all times,' Macaldo said. Ada, who is coming back from a knee injury, a torn ACL he suffered while competing in the states, appeared back in true form. After the first quarter, MVP led 18-12. While MVP's game plan was to light up the scoreboard from beyond the arc, the Sharks' strategy was to feed the big man down low. Macaldo, who posted up at the bottom of the key, helped cut the deficit at halftime to 26-22. In the fourth quarter, after Yoshi Sayama hit a 3-pointer and Phil Guerrero drove the lane for a layup, drew the foul and drained the free throw, MVP led by eight points. Vitug, in the final period, visited the charity stripe 10 times. The Sharks, a team composed of Simon Sanchez High School players, enjoyed showcasing their skills as they continue to get in shape for the upcoming Guam Department of Education Interscholastic Sports Association season. The Sharks, more than anything, want to defend their title. 'The ultimate goal is to win back-to-back titles in the ISA League,' Macaldo said, adding that last year's championship boosted their confidence. Ada too had the hot hand all game long, and scored 16 points. Kaine Santos, also with an impressive night, scored 10 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished five assists and had two steals. Before fouling out, Noah Cruz, MVP's big man, chipped in six points and four rebounds. Vitug, finishing with 15 points, made 7-of-11 from the free-throw line. Bonbon had five points and four rebounds. The KFC Summer League is hosted by the Guam Basketball Federation, and all playoff games were played at the Guam Basketball Confederation National Training Facility in Tiyan.
Courtesy of: postguam.com