Aqua Resort surges past PIC

Title favorite Aqua Resort Club caught up with early leader Hyatt Regency Saipan, while Saipan Grand Hotel debuted with a win as the 2006 HANMI Cup Inter-Hotel Basketball League continued Thursday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

After a tight first half, which saw Pacific Islands Club make a game of it, Aqua Resort Club put the pedal on the metal and outscored their opponents by a whopping 27 points to leave the Oleai Sports Complex venue with a 97-61 win.

The defending champion of the Mobil co-ed league was quite content with trading baskets with the San Antonio landmark and both teams were deadlocked 22-22 after the first quarter.
Darwin Barbo began to flex his muscles for Aqua Resort in second, as the athletic big man pumped in seven markers to help his team
take a 42-33 spread at the half.

After a “measly” 14 points combined in the first and second quarters, 6’3” center Dalewin Cortez and flamboyant swingman Eric Dalagin started to make their presence felt at the start of the third.

Cortez shot the lights out from everywhere and Dalangin bulldozed his way as the two combined 26 points. As a result, Aqua Resort increased its advantage to 21 markers, 71-50, entering the fourth and final quarter.

PIC’s downfall was not entirely the duo’s doing, as their resident big man and lone low post player, Richard Pambid, was forced out of the game on account of two technical fouls after dominating the inside in the first half.

Both teams then went to their respective benches in the payoff period, which looked more like garbage time.
But even with the outcome beyond doubt, Aqua Resort still didn’t let up and dominated the battle of shock troopers to crush PIC by a whopping 36 points.

Cortez went on to win the Danielle’s Massage and Beauty Parlor best player of the game plum with his 27 points, six rebounds, and two blocks. Dalangin and Barbo finished with 19 and 11 markers, respectively.

Despite essentially playing only the first half, Pambid still paced the now 0-2 PIC team with 13 points. Alfred Fernandez also logged in 12, while long-tom artist James Abuy was held to 10.
In the second game, Grand Hotel got 16 points apiece from frontcourt players Raymond Grafil and William Opone to rout Saipan World Resort, 86-68.

Grafil was MVP of the game after also hauling down seven rebounds, assisting twice, and swiping the ball three times for Grand Hotel (0-1). Alex Palma and Mike Villegas led World Resort (0-2) with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Aqua Resort Club 97 – Cortez 27, Dalangin 19, Barbo 11, Bojocan 9, Johannes 9, Velez 9, Domingo 6, Ambrosio 5, Rabo 4, Alcantara 3, Aquino 2, Arellano 2.

Pacific Islands Club 61 – Pambid 13, Fernandez 12, Abuy 10, Zapata 7, Capps 3, Catacutan 2, Patricio 2, Tolentino 2, Bergeron 2.

Scoring by quarters: 22-22, 42-33, 71-50, 97-61.

Referees: Abner Venus, Noel Delos Santos, and Eric Artillaga.

Saipan Grand Hotel 86 – Grafil 16, Opone 16, Pablo 13, Seman 11, Dela Torre 9, Bautista 9, Maliwanag 7, Rabago 3, Huliganga 2, Licop 1.

Saipan World Resort 68 – Ale. Palma 12, Villegas 10, Navarro 9, Caruana 6, Montano 6, Murday 5, Mariano 4, Tagabuel 4, Neri 2.

Scoring by quarters: 16-10, 33-23, 57-40, 86-68.

Referees: Arnold Mesa, Jess Pabula, and Jess Pacheco.