Hyatt edges Fiesta Resort

Hyatt Regency Saipan won its second straight game, while Marianas Resort and Spa broke onto the win column as action in the 2006 Inter-Basketball League HANMI Cup continued Tuesday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

In the opener, Hyatt had just enough juice to edge Fiesta Resort and Spa in a down-the-wire thriller, 90-84.

The two teams were neck-and-neck in the opening period, with Edmark Mendoza and Bernard Aquino pumping in 10 and seven points to lead Hyatt and Ariel Jinang and Elmer Esdrelon scoring seven points apiece for Fiesta.

The two were so evenly matched that the first 10 minutes ended with a tie, 22-22.

Hyatt was able to grab a small lead in the second period behind the guns of Mendoza and Aquino, who combined for 12 points. The two got big help from Mike Umali, who took the lead for his team with seven markers. With the three carrying the offensive load, Hyatt was able to take a six-point spread, 43-37, heading into the break.

Mendoza continued to put up consistent numbers at the start of the second half, scoring another seven points to help Hyatt pad its lead to seven, 64-57.

Jinang tried to rally his Fiesta troops behind his long jumpers in the fourth. The veteran guard drilled in three triples and had 11 points, but Umali was able to fuel a Hyatt stand with 13 points, enabling his team to hold on to the lead.

Umali finished with a game-high 29 points to lead Hyatt, while Mendoza and Aquino added 26 and 16 points. Mendoza also grabbed 13 rebounds, recorded seven steals, and had four blocks to earn player of the game honors. Krisgel Arreza also had 14 points.

Jinang paced Fiesta with 22 points, while Esdrelon and Adonis Macoto pumped in 19 and 12 points, respectively. Noel David and Ed Carino also contributed 10 points apiece for Fiesta, which dropped to 1-1.

In the second game, Marianas Resort and Spa bounced back from a loss in their debut with an 86-62 victory over Hafadai Beach Hotel.

Hafadai was in contention for the first three periods, but after losing the service of leading scorer Pedro Iguel in the fourth, the team was not able to keep up.

Iguel and Nathan Kapileo kept Hafadai in the game in the early goings, with Iguel scoring seven points and Kapileo six in the first quarter. With the two leading the way, Hafadai trailed by just a field goal, 13-15.

The Marianas Resort cagers then picked up the pace in the second quarter and distanced themselves a bit from their opponents. Guard Wylie Paez scored six points, while Edward Alvarez, Dennis Sebastian, and Monico Usi combined for 12 points to help the team outscore the opposition, 21-16, for a 36-29 halftime lead.

Hafadai was not going down easily, and Iguel again fueled a strong charge with 14 points to bring his team to within three points, 51-54, with one period remaining in regulation.

Iguel, however, fouled out of the game and would not score anymore points for his team. With the former Rotary league star on the bench, Marianas Resort began to pull away, with Gatdula and Paez leading the way.

Paez finished with 23 points to lead Marianas Resort and finish as player of the game, while Gatdula and Alvarez supported him with 19 and 11 points.

Iguel scored a game-high 28 points, while Kapileo and Roberto Bating added 15 and 13 points for Hafadai.

[B]First Game[/B] [B]Hyatt 90[/B] — Umali 29, Mendoza 26, Aquino 16, Arreza 14, Vargas 5.
[B]Fiesta 84[/B] — Jinang 22, Esdrelon 19, Macoto 12, Carino 10, David 10, Galag 6, Ong 3, Quinitip 2.
[B]Scoring by quarters:[/B] 22-22, 43-37, 64-57, 90-84.
[B]Referees:[/B] Arnold Mesa, Gilbert Espinosa, and Noel Delos Santos.
[B] Second Game[/B] [B]Marianas Resort 86[/B] — Paez 23, Gatdula 19, Alvarez 11, Usi 7, Geva 7, Capuli 5, Sebastian 5, De Tomas 3, Ocanada 3, Sereno 2, Espejo 1.
[B]Hafadai 62[/B] — Iguel 28, Kapileo 15, Bating 13, Calayag 5, Alcober 1.
[B]Scoring by quarters:[/B] 15-13, 36-29, 54-51, 86-62.
[B]Referees:[/B] Jess Pacheco, Jess Pabula, and Tom Alegre.