Ryan runs away with MVP plum

Fiesta-Grand hotshot Ryan Sanciangco was named the 2nd Annual HANMI Cup Inter-Hotel Basketball League most valuable player after getting the nod from coordinator Lito Espino.

Espino, who is president of HANMI Cup organizer, Northern Marianas Bartenders Association, said he picked Sanciangco not only because the 5’8” guard-forward excelled in the statistics side of the MVP race but also after leading Fiesta-Grand to the pennant championship and to the finals—attested by the Shirley’s Coffee Shop employee’s five game MVP awards.

Incidentally, Sanciangco and company will try to complete a fairytale ending to its one-loss season when it collides with Pacific Islands Club in the do-or-die championship set for tomorrow at 4:30pm, following the battle for third between last year’s finalists Hyatt Regency Saipan and Aqua Resort Club.

Sanciangco actually finished fourth in the MVP points race with a rating of 67.5 percent. Teammate Elmer Esdrelon was tops with a 86.7 rating followed by Darwin Barbo of Aqua Resort (73.2 percent), and Dennis Vinas of Saipan World Resort (71.7 percent).

Hafadai Beach Hotel’s Peter Iguel (63.9 percent), Hyatt Regency’s Bernard Aquino (62.8 percent), World Resort’s Jerryfel Mangahis (54.6 percent), Hyatt Regency’s Edmark Mendoza (53.5 percent), Hafadai’s Michael Olaitaman (48.5 percent), and Pacific Islands Club’s Derrick Tudela (45.7 percent) complete the Top 10 in the MVP points race.

The MVP points race, compiled by league head statistician Andrew Mesina, was based on the points, 3-points made, free throw percentage, rebounds, assists, steals, blocked shots, and team standings of players.

Esdrelon, Barbo, Vinas, and Iguel also joined Sanciangco in the 2008 HANMI Cup Mythical Five.

Sanciangco actually was the top scorer of the 2008 edition of the HANMI Cup, averaging 28.4 points per game. Barbo finished second with a 28 points per game clip followed by Iguel (26 ppg.), Esdrelon (24.3 ppg), and Vinas (20 ppg).

Esdrelon was the league’s most accurate free throw shooter, sinking 76 percent of free throws awarded him. Vinas was second with a 73.6-percent clip. Aquino was third (72.4 percent), Olaitaman fourth (64.2 percent), and Barbo rounded out the Top 5 (62.6 percent).

Esdrelon also was the top marksman from the 3-point territory with 41 hits from beyond the arc. Pacific Islands Club’s James Abuy was a far second with 26 makes from rainbow land with Iguel (18), Sanciangco (13), and Aquarius Beach Tower’s George Barbo (11) completing the Top 5 in the category.

Tudela was a monster on the backboard with a 9.2 caroms per game average to lead the rebounding department. Darwin Barbo finished a close second with 9.1 boards per game, followed in the Top 5 by Mendoza (7.8 rpg.), Iguel (7.4 rpg.), and Esdrelon (7 rpg.).

The Best in Assists plum also went to Esdrelon after the Fiesta-Grand whippet-quick point guard dished out 4.9 per game. Olaitaman was second in the dimes department with his 4.8 assists per game, followed by Aquino (4.5 apg.), Vinas (4 apg,), and Aqua Resort’s Ziddy Johannes (3.5 apg).

Vinas was tops in heists in the 2008 season of the HANMI Cup as the soft-spoken playmaker of World Resort stole the ball from opposing ballhandlers an average of 3.3 per game. Johannes (3 spg), Esdrelon (2.8 spg), Mangahis (2.7 spg), and Aquino (2.2 spg) complete the Top 5 in the department.

Last but not the least, Mendoza led the blocked shots department after the Hyatt Regency slotman swatted one attempt per game. Iguel, Darwin Barbo, Vinas, and Mangahis also landed in the Top 5 in shot blocks.

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.