Mobil, Hyatt to start Shirley’s caging playoffs

 Pennant champion Mobil and Hyatt Regency Saipan will play in the first playoff game in the 3rd Annual Shirley’s Coffee Shop Invitational Basketball League this Saturday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

Mobil, which finished the round-robin regular season with a 7-2 record, will duel last-ranked Hyatt at 6pm. Mobil finished in a three-way deadlock for first place with DFS Galleria and Fiesta Resort & Spa, but won the tiebreak as it beat the two other first place squads in the regular season. Mobil first edged Fiesta on Oct. 20, 98-94, and then defeated DFS Galleria, 95-78.

Hyatt was also in a three-way tie for sixth to eighth place with its 3-6 record, but slid to the last spot, as it bowed to both Grillin’ (3-6), and Shirley’s (3-6). Hyatt is clearly the underdog in the first playoff match, as it also lost to Mobil in the regular season, 77-83. In Mobil’s win, Jun Estolas and Marvin Rabauliman top-scored for the pennant champion with 25 points each. In their second meeting with Hyatt, it was not yet confirmed whether Rabauliman will be able to play or not after having a bad fall in Mobil’s last game in the regular season last week. The Mobil forward dropped to the floor hard after challenging the shot of Roy Hernandez during the second quarter of their 86-98 defeat at the hands of Grillin’ and sustained a swollen left shoulder. Rabauliman failed to return to the game after scoring all his six points in the second canto.

After the Mobil-Hyatt tussle, the second-ranked DFS Galleria will take on Grillin’ at 8pm. A loss in the first round of playoffs will boot out the losing team, as this year’s Shirley’s caging will implement a single elimination format.

For the second day of the playoffs on Dec. 6, fourth finisher and defending champion Pacific Islands Club/NVM will challenge No. 5 seed PSS/McGraw-Hill at 6pm. PIC had a roller-coaster ride in the regular season and ended up with a 6-3 record, while PSS held a 5-4 mark, posting a four-game winning streak before dropping its last three games.

In the second game at 8pm, the streaking Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan will challenge resurgent Shirley’s. Fiesta lost its first two games, but won the last seven to record the longest winning run in the season. Shirley’s picked up its game late, prevailing in its last two matches to save a spot in the playoffs.

Winners of the Mobil-Hyatt and DFS-Grillin’ games will square off in the semifinals on Dec. 8 at 6pm, while the other semis pairing at 8pm will feature the victors of the Fiesta-Shirley’s and PIC-PSS matches. The winner-take-all finals is set for Dec. 11 at 8pm after the battle for third place at 6pm.