Espino extends kudos to sponsors, supporters

The coordinator of the 2nd Annual Inter-Hotel Basketball League recently extended his heartfelt appreciation to all the sponsors and supporters that made the 2008 season of the HANMI Cup a success.

Lito Espino, who is also president of the Northern Marianas Bartenders Association, first and foremost thanked sponsors Kathryn Barry of PTI, John Antenor Cruz of Titans Guam Chivas Life, Rusty Loyola of Coca-Cola Beverage Co. (Micronesia) Inc., and Mando Guban of Western Sales Trading Company for their in-kind donations to the competition.

The Aqua Resort Club restaurant supervisor also gave kudos to all the general managers of participating hotels and their hard-working representatives, namely Chris Calub and Mike Umali of Hyatt Regency Saipan, Robert Lorren and Tommy Kennington of Pacific Islands Club, Richard Borja and Pyke Sabino of Fiesta Resort and Spa Saipan-Saipan Grand Hotel, Emeterio Brigino and Miguel Sicad of Aqua Resort Club, Aries Cordero of Micronesian Brokers Inc.-Aquarius Beach Tower, Andy Estepha and Fernan Calayag of Hafadai Beach Hotel, and Bagting and Alvin Palma of World Resort.

Division of Sports and Recreation Joe Lizama, Basketball Association of the Northern Mariana Islands president Elias Rangamar, and BANMI Referees Association president Rufino Aguon were also acknowledged by Espino for all their help as well as the 2008 HANMI Cup table officials led by head statistician Andrew Mesina.

Last but not the least, Espino also said the 2007 and 2008 editions of the HANMI Cup wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands chair Lynn A. Knight.

After winning the pennant with a league-best 11-1 record, Fiesta-Grand capped the season with an 87-72 title win over Pacific Islands Club in the do-or-die championship last April 5 at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Aside from winning the pennant and the overall championship, Fiesta-Grand’s 1-2 punch of Ryan Sanciangco and Elmer Esdrelon won the regular season and finals MVP, respectively.

In the statistical race, Sanciangco was tops in scoring (28.4 ppg), Esdrelon was the league’s top assist man (4.9 apg), most accurate free throw shooter (76 percent), and top marksman from the 3-point territory (41 triples), PIC’s Derrick Tudela was the rebounding king (9.2 rpg), Vinas was the Sultan of Swipe (3.3 spg), and Edmark Mendoza of Hyatt Regency led the blocked shots department.

Espino also adjudged Aqua Resort as the winner of the Team Sportsmanship Award after the inaugural season’s champions continued to play despite the death of team heart-and-soul Rick Alegre during their game against Hyatt Regency last Feb. 13.