Dai-Ichi wins coed crown

Dai-Ichi Saipan Beach Hotel hoisted the championship of the 2005 Mobil Oil Marianas Co-ed Invitational Basketball League by fending off a talented Mobil team in a winner-take-all finals Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The hoteliers got 44 points from cage belle Noe Okahira and plenty clutch plays from veterans Ariel Jinang and Larry Lizo in the fourth to turn back the hosts in a high-scoring ballgame, 130-114, in front of more than a hundred of their supporters, including both Dai-Ichi’s outgoing and incoming general managers.

Okahira set the tone of the ballgame for the pennant winners, as the 20-year-old lass from Tokyo, Japan torched Mobil cage belle and former national player Mona Palacios for 21 points to help Dai-Ichi to a 38-29 spread after the first quarter.

With Okahira sitting down, the Dai-Ichi men tried to hold the fort but could only do so for short stretches, as Mobil turned on the heat led by league leading scorer Andres “Jhun” Estolas, strongman Junar Guiab, and swingman Errol Peredo.

With the terrible threesome having their way, Mobil was able to cut the hoteliers’ advantage to single digits and then forced a 65-all tie on an 18-foot jumper by reinforcement Jon Artates, a minute to go in the second.

Mobil got its first and only taste of the lead moments later when center Reynaldo “Badong” Camacho made one of two free throws to make it 66-65.

Dai-Ichi, however, would have the last say in the half when reserve Jhun “Bilog” Alipala converted on a 10-footer to give them a 1-point lead, 67-66, at the break.

Dai-Ichi’s offense got a much-needed boost in the third with Okahira back in harness. Taking the advice of her veteran teammates to heart, she attacked the basket at every opportunity and scattered 23 points in the third against Palacios, who already had four personal fouls.

She also got plenty of help from her teammates’ defense on Estolas, as regular season MVP Elmer Esdrelon put the handcuffs on the high-scoring guard, while Tom Alegre and Roland Galag took care of the rebounds, as Dai-Ichi reestablished a 98-89 spread going into the fourth and final quarter.

Mobil tried to take advantage of the absence of Okahira in the payoff period, but unlike the second quarter, Dai-Ichi’s men had the answers this time around.

Macoto first gave a glimpse of things to come when he hit Phillip Douglas inside for a 102-89 lead early in the quarter.

The lead would seesaw from seven to nine points before a 3-point play by Estolas and another basket by Peredo cut Dai-Ichi’s lead to 106-101 a little over four minutes and change remaining.

Jinang would then can two of what turned out to be a bushel of free throws awarded him in the fourth and Lizo made a nifty basket on an assist from Jinang to give Dai-Ichi a 110-101 spread.

After a Peredo jumper, Lizo made a 3-point play and converted on a breakaway layup, as Dai-Ichi supporters on the stands began their championship celebrations with their team up 116-105 with 2:23 left.

Mobil went to the land of last resort but came up empty on their 3-point binge and had to resort to fouling Dai-Ichi players to extend the game.

Jinang again proved to be up to the task going perfect the rest of the way and preserved Dai-Ichi’s win.

Jinang went on to support Okahira’s brilliant two-quarter performance with 26 points, 15 in the fourth. Dai-Ichi also got 14 markers from Alegre and 11 from Esdrelon.

Estolas led the way for Mobil with 39, while Peredo scattered 37. Guiab and Camacho added 15 and 12 points in the loss.

Alegre, the team’s veteran power forward and undisputed team leader, dedicated the victory to the hotel’s outgoing GM Mark Swinton and his replacement Jackson Yang. He also credited the play of Okahira and the merging of the Dai-Ichi and Tan Holdings teams as the key factors for their championship run.

Dai-Ichi 130 – Okohira 44, Jinang 26, Alegre 14, Esdrelon 11, Macoto 8, Lizo 7, Galag 6, Douglas 4, Alipala 4, Tobias 2.

Mobil 114 – Estolas 39, Peredo 37, Guiab 15, Camacho 12, Artates 6, Peleno 2, Galzote 1.

Scoring by quarters: 38-29, 67-66, 98-89, 130-114

Referees: Dado Vistal, Noel Delos Santos, and Jess Pacheco.