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Nikko rebounds with win over World Resort
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Posted on Dec 02 2006
Hotel Nikko Saipan bounced back from its humiliating opening day loss to Hyatt Regency Saipan by routing Saipan World Resort, 88-72, in the lone 2006 HANMI Cup Inter-Hotel Basketball League game Thursday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
Hotel Nikko quickly atoned the 110-71 shellacking it received last Sunday, as it got off to jackrabbit start led by bull-strong center Ronald delos Reyes, whose eight points helped his team take a 22-14 lead after the first quarter.
Delos Reyes then teamed up with Cabalen teammate and Hotel Nikko playing coach Elmer Pineda, as the duo combined for all but six of the team’s 25 second-quarter points to give the San Roque landmark a 14-point spread, 47-33, at halftime.
Roland Fernandez and baseball all-star Robert Bansil then picked up where Delos Reyes and Pineda left off at the start of the second, as Fernandez erupted for nine points and Bansil contributed five.
And with Delos Reyes adding a pedestrian “five” points and three more Hotel Nikko cagers contributing two points apiece, the team blew the game wide open and was on top by 20 mammoth points, 71-51, heading into the fourth and final quarter.
James Mariano and Nabil Murday tried their best to rally the World Resort team, as the two tossed in five points each in the payoff period. But their effort was too little, too late as Hotel Nikko ran away with the 16-point victory margin.
Delos Reyes took home player of the game honors after compiling 30 points, 18 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block. Pineda, Bansil, and Fernandez also pumped in 10 points or more for Hotel Nikko. Pineda has five assists.
Mariano led the way for World Resort with his 13 points, while Murday and Patrick Paras punched in 11 apiece.
The win allowed Hotel Nikko to level its win-loss mark to 1-1, a game behind early league leaders Aqua Resort Club, Fiesta Resort and Spa, and Hyatt (1-0). The loss gave World Resort a 0-1 record, the same as Tuesday night losers Marianas Resort and Spa and Pacific Islands Club.
The second game between debuting teams Hafadai Beach Hotel and Saipan Grand Hotel was reset to this Tuesday, according to HANMI Cup commissioner Ramon Awit.
[B]Hotel Nikko Saipan 88[/B] – Delos Reyes 30, Pineda 14, Bansil 11, Fernandez 10, Elayda 7, Silil 4, Salazar 4, Federizo 4, Manalo 2, De Vera 1, Bulaklak 1. [B]Saipan World Resort 72[/B] – Mariano 13, Murday 11, Paras 11, Caruana 10, Gayo 10, Navarro 6, Ale. Palma 5, Alv. 3, Montano 3. [B]Scoring by quarters:[/B] 22-14, 47-33, 71-51, 88-72. [B]Referees:[/B] Jess Pabula and Gilbert Espinosa.
