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Duenas leads awardees in Tan Holdings caging
Matt Duenas of Kanoa Resort Saipan, left, poses with Tan Holdings senior vice president Eli Arago after receiving his MVP medal. (Jon Perez)
Duenas, Kanoa’s hard working forward, tallied 336 points to post a 28.0 average the entire season. He defeated CTSI/D&Q’s Ariel Jinang, who posted 21.2 points per game average, in the scoring race.
The former Saipan Southern High School standout registered 30-plus points in his first three games, exploding for a season-high 39 markers in Kanoa’s 82-66 thrashing of Saipan Tribune/Realty Management Services. Duenas, however, failed to lead Kanoa to the finals, as they only settled for a third place finish behind runner-up Shirley’s and champion Fiesta Resort & Spa.
Jinang had some sort of consolation as he was the top scorer for CTSI and was chosen as one of the six outstanding players in the league. He was joined by Fiesta Resort & Spa’s Elmer Esdrelon (averaged 19.8 points per game), Shirley’s Coffee Shop big man Eric Dela Rosa (18.0), Ferdie Arago of POI (17.0 ppg), Ferdie Dela Torre of Saipan Tribune/RMS (14.3) and Dindo Pablo of Kanoa Resort (13.9 ppt).
Meanwhile, Fiesta Resort & Spa players were presented with medals after their title conquest in the six-team league. Fiesta Resort & Spa eked out a heart-stopping 70-69 win over Shirley’s Coffee Shop in their you-or-me showdown last Sept. 29.
Shirley’s was almost on its way to victory when it held a 69-66 lead with 6.8 seconds left in the game. However, the pennant champion crumbled under pressure in the final ticks, allowing Fiesta to steal the win. Rommel Usi committed a foul that resulted to two free throws by Esdrelon, while a costly turnover off an inbound play allowed Lerio Pagarao to score the game-winning layup. (Jon Perez)
