Marquee players lead teams to victory

Aqua Resort Club and Commonwealth Ports Authority drew big games from their marquee men as the two clubs bulldozed separate opponents in the 5th Annual Mobil Oil Marianas Co-ed Invitational Basketball League Thursday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

In the curtain raiser, the defending champions got 37 points from 6’3” tower Dalewin Cortez, as Aqua Resort walloped a shorthanded Microl-Toyota side 96-86.

After taking the opening quarter 23-20, Aqua Resort galloped on their high horses with Cortez imposing his will in the paint, banging in 17 points to help his team open up a 54-42 spread at halftime.

Aqua Resort continued to go to the big man in the third quarter, as Cortez hoisted 11 more markers as a Microl team, which already was missing center and former MVP Jorge De Guzman, just had no answers for the former volleyball standout and entered the fourth and final quarter down by 16 points, 58-74.

Rodney Catalla, one of a handful players left from Microl’s 2002 title team, tried to light a fire under his team in the payoff period, tossing in 10 points.

But Aqua Resort continued to pile on the points and surged ahead as new hotelier J.E. Torres equaled Catalla’s fourth-quarter production, allowing the team to hold on to the 10-point win.

Torres and last year’s MVP Bogs Dayrit supported Cortez’s dominating performance with 24 and 22 points, respectively.

Catalla led Microl’s losing cause with 25, while whippet-quick guard James Abuy chipped in 15.

In the nightcap, Dave Sablan continued his tear in the Mobil league, erupting for 32 points to spearhead CPA’s 85-79 conquest of a game Hyatt Regency Saipan team.

The high-scoring swingman got plenty of help as guard Jerome Reyes and slotman Jawn Joyner added double-figure scores.

Hyatt’s trio of Jumping Jacks—Mike Umali, Leo Itaas, and Edd Arriola—combined for all but 23 of the team’s total output with Umali leading the way with 21 points in the loss.

First Game

Aqua Resort Club 96 – Cortez 37, Torres 24, Dayrit 22, Flores 4, Arellano 4, Johannes 3, Jones 2.

Microl 86 – Catalla 24, Abuy 15, Sablan 15, Factor 11, Lizama 6, Capuyon 5, Delos Reyes 3, Cabrera 3, Mostales 2, Noelle 2.

Scoring by quarters: 23-20, 54-42, 74-58, 96-86.

Referees: Noel Delos Santos and Rey Lizama.

Second Game

CPA 85 – Sablan 32, Reyes 19, Joyner 11, Guerrero 7, Muna 6, Geralds 4, Sablan 4, Mizutani 2.

Hyatt 79 – Umali 21, Itaas 18, Arriola 17, Gabaldon 7, Villanueva 5, Esguerra 4, Calub 4, Bendry 3.

Scoring by quarters: 20-16, 49-25, 63-52, 85-79.

Referees: Noel Delos Santos and Rey Lizama.