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Fiesta Resort barges into finals
Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan’s Irish Pagarao, right, drives baseline against a Lady Ol’Aces defender during their regular season game in the women’s division of the MIBF island-wide caging at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan capitalized on the depleted Lady Ol’Aces crew to cruise to a 40-22 victory in their semis game in the women’s division of the 2018 MIBF Island-wide Basketball League last Wednesday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
With the easy win, Fiesta Resort booked the second finals ticket and will face the Ol’Aces in a best-of-three title series that will start this Monday.
The Lady Ol’Aces, who defeated Fiesta Resort in their two outings in the preliminary round, failed to make it three in a row, as the former played without the injured Lia Rangamar and Taz Deleon Guerrero.
Fiesta Resort, on the other hand, paraded a nearly complete lineup and had their key players present for the make-or-break game. With enough manpower, Fiesta Resort dominated the Lady Ol’Aces right from the get-go en route to its 18-point winning margin and a trip to the finals.
Madi Alegre led Fiesta Resort’s balance scoring after recording 9 points. Irish Pagarao and Nanaka Watanabe added 8 each, while Krizel Tuazon and Mikky Kautz combined for 9 more markers. Three other Fiesta Resort players hit the board in their lopsided victory against the shorthanded Lady Ol’Aces.
Connie Camacho tried to step up for the Lady Ol’Aces and finished with a game-high 10 markers, but could not get enough support from her teammates. Beverly Camacho and Aiko Rasiang chipped in 4 points each, but their baskets were made with Fiesta Resort in full control of the semis tiff.
Meanwhile, in the continuation of the regular season of the men’s division, the Ol’Aces Extra snapped a three-game losing skid after outclassing Casino, 84-79.
Leroy Rangamar was again at the forefront of the Ol’Acex Extra’s offense, as he posted a game-high 22 points, 13 of them came in the second half to give his team more cushion. Nak Nakashima and Peter Camacho contributed 12 each, while Jesse Santos and Jawn Joyner logged 10 apiece.
Sonny Marinay led Casino’s losing cause with his 19 points.
Fiesta Resort 40 — Alegre 9, Pagarao 8, Watanabe 8, Tuazon 5, Kautz 4, Pablo 2, Camacho 2, Flores 2.
Lady Ol’Aces 22 — C. Camacho 10, B. Camacho 4, Rasiang 4, Kenty 2, K. Rangamar 2.
