Aqua Resort splashes to championship

A championship that took 13 years in the making is what Aqua Resort Club coach Manny Barcial describes his team’s title-clinching victory last Sunday in the 2004 Mobil Oil Marianas Co-ed Invitational Basketball Tournament.

Barcial said Aqua Resort endured close-but-no-cigar seasons in the Inter-Hotel and Restaurant Basketball League since 1992 and the Mobil league since 2001 before finally reaching the top of the mountain this year.

“That fact just makes this season’s Mobil championship even sweeter. We waited for so long and finally we brought home the championship,” said Barcial.

From the start of the season, the soft-spoken coach already believed that his 2004 team has what it takes to go all the way. He said the additions of rookies 6’3” center Dalewin Cortez and 5’11” swingman Marco Garcia and veteran Bogs Dayrit boosted an already potent lineup that included Cris Bojocan and playmaker Rodel Alcantara.

“I saw the potential of this team months back. We had a good balance of big men and outside shooters. We have the speed with our young players and the experience of our veterans. I knew that Aqua Resort was the team to beat, but we still had to prove that on the basketball court.”

Then came opening night, when Barcial and his players got a rude awakening from a Beverly Igitol-led Mobil team. In a game where the lead swung back and forth like a pendulum on the clock, Mobil shocked Aqua Resort, 84-83.

“That loss woke us up big time. It was a nightmare really. If we won that game then we could’ve gotten the pennant,” he said.

Rather than sulk after the stinging reversal, the loss further galvanized the team’s resolve and what happened next was nothing short of spectacular with Aqua Resort winning their next eight games in devastating fashion.

First to experience the wrath of the hoteliers was Hyatt (85-63). Aqua Resort continued to pile up the wins decimating Toyota (67-55), Pacific Islands Aviation (84-64), Dai-Ichi Hotel (88-53), and Pacific Development Inc. (91-58), before letting up against Commonwealth Ports Authority (89-78), Commonwealth Utilities Corp. (78-65), and Tan Holdings Corp. (74-60).

After routing its last eight opponents by an average of 20 points a game, Aqua Resort met up again with Dai-Ichi Hotel in the semis. The result was not unexpected as the hoteliers bulldozed past Dai-Ichi, 81-63, and arranged a winner-take-all championship against first round tormentor Mobil.

In the championship, Aqua Resort got a big lift when Igitol went AWOL in the first quarter. When she did return in the third quarter, Mobil was down by 30 points and although a Jhun Estolas-led rally whittled down the lead, Aqua Resort held on to the win to capture the coveted championship.

Barcial cited the play of his Big Three – Cortez, Garcia and Dayrit – for the win and also cited the support given by ex-Tanapag Warrior Ziddy Johannes and veterans Alcantara and Bojocan.

“Ziddy more than held his own in defense. He also brought down the ball well against Mobil’s pressure defense. I couldn’t say more about the leadership of Rodel and Cris. Although, they didn’t play that much this year, they still led their team,” he said.

Aside from the championship, Aqua Resort players also came away with individual awards. Garcia and Cortez were both named in the mythical five selection with the former also taking home Rookie of the Year honors. Dayrit, meanwhile, bagged the MVP of the playoffs after coming up with triple-double performances in the semis and in the finals.

“I was not expecting to win the Playoff MVP. I would like to share this award to my teammates, coach Manny and the management of Aqua Resort. Winning this award is great but nothing tops winning the championship,” said Dayrit.

Barcial echoed Dayrit’s words in support of management. “I would like to thank management for their all-out support. They always backed us up when we recruit waiters who also are great in playing basketball. Management support was vital in keeping morale high and that’s one of the reasons we were able make that run for the title.”

The rest of the players of Aqua Resort are Glenn Mark Flores, Ton-Ton Lipa, John Jones, Arnold Arellano, Rome Manzon, Peter De Loyola and lady players Criselda Santos, Day-Ann De Leon, and Antoinette San Nicolas.