Fiesta recovers, beats Lower Base

Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan’s Paul Quizon, second right, and Lower Base’s Ed Echavez, right, battle for the loose ball, while the latter’s teammate look on during the second half of their game in the Tan Holdings caging last Friday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan regained its winnings ways quickly after downing the Lower Base Warriors, 49-42, in the third game in the 2016 Tan Holdings Inter-Company Basketball League last Friday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

Fiesta, which dropped its fourth game against the league-leading Kanoa Resort, 49-64, recovered with Paul Quizon and Adonis Macoto finding their targets to lift their team to the 7-point win. Quizon scored 14 points, while Macoto also finished in twin digits, tallying 13.

Fiesta led by double figures after the first half, 35-24, behind the 11 markers of Quizon, but was caught off guard in the second when Lower Base began converting shots from downtown to close the gap. However, Lower Base fell short in the end as Macoto was there to save the day for Fiesta, scoring 7 of his total points in the second half, including two of the team’s last four field goals. Elmer Esdrelon knocked in the two other baskets to make up for his absence in the first half.

Meanwhile, Kanoa and Mambas won the two other matches last Friday.

Kanoa played in the second game and stretched its winning run to five after routing Shirley’s Coffee Shop, 89-66.

As usual, Matt and Ernest Duenas teamed up in Kanoa’s demolition of Shirley’s, firing 20 and 17 points, respectively. Three other Kanoa players scored in double figures to crush Shirley’s, which played without big man Eric Dela Rosa.

Kanoa opened a big lead right in the first half, 53-25, and never gave Shirley’s a chance to fight back.

Shirley’s dropped to a 2-3 record, losing two of its last three games.

In the curtain-raiser, Mambas improved to a 2-3 mark after defeating Pacific Oriental, Inc., 52-43.

Ferdie de la Torre top-scored in Mambas second win, recording 12 points, while Tony Raho and Irish Pagarao combined for 18.

First Game
Mambas 52— De La Torre 12, Raho 9, Pagarao 9, Chan 7, J. Ong 6, Calibo 5, Delos Santos 2, Rabago 2.
POI 43 — Acosta 14, Arago 9, Guevarra 8, Muna 7, Aguda 3, Ciano 2.
Scoring by halves: 28-24, 52-43.

Second Game
Kanoa 89 — M. Duenas 20, E. Duenas 17, Agulto 13, Sacramento 12, Rabauliman 10, Schmidt 9, Usi 7, Pablo 2.
Shirley’s 66 —Jugos 22, Pollisco 12, Nicdao 8, Catungal 8, Drilon 5, Sabino 4, Macario 4, Bordon 3.
Scoring by halves: 53-25, 89-66.

Third Game
Fiesta 49 — Quizon 14, Macoto 13, Villamena 10, Vivero 9, Elmer Esdrelon 4.
Lower Base 42 —Benevente 9, Jinang 8, Alegre 6, Bazinero 5, W. Benevente 4, Peteru 3, Echavez 3, Garcia 2, Camu 2.
Scoring by halves: 35-24, 49-42.