Mobil takes early lead in Shirley’s caging

Mobil gained the solo lead in the 3rd Annual Shirley’s Coffee Shop Invitational Basketball League after edging Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan, 98-94, last Thursday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

Mobil claimed its second win in as many games, while Fiesta dropped to a 0-2 record. Ron Gamboa made two free throws in the last 17.9 seconds and then had a defensive stop in the ensuing play to foil Fiesta’s rally and preserve the win.

After falling behind by as much as 17 points in the third quarter, 60-43, Fiesta moved within three, 91-94 off Ariel Jinang’s six straight points, 19.8 ticks to go in the match. Jinang converted a triple from the right corner and then completed a three-point play when he drilled an undergoal stab and drew a foul from Gamboa.

Mobil sued for time and when game resumed, Fiesta was forced to foul Gamboa to stop the clock. Gamboa canned the two important charities to give Mobil more breathing room, 96-91.

After hitting the clutch free throws, Gamboa went back on defense quickly and stole the ball away from Jinang, who tried to squeeze in to Mobil’s defense at the right wing. Gamboa’s steal led to a Mobil fastbreak play with Gil Gapor on the finishing end, giving the team a 98-91 advantage, 2.6 seconds remaining on the clock. Fiesta’s Elmer Esdrelon connected on a triple at the buzzer to peg the final score.

Bart Demapan top-scored for Mobil with 26 markers, as he and Jun Estolas played beautiful music together, teaming up on pick-and-roll plays on a couple of occasions. Estolas added 22, making five triples with most of them coming off Demapan’s screen. Gamboa and Marvin Rabauliman also finished in double figures with 17 and 14 markers, respectively.

Four players tallied double digits in scoring for Fiesta, but they could not seem to get their games going together. In the first period, only Jawn Joyner and Ivan Devero hit more than one field goal and Fiesta fell behind, 19-21. In the second canto, it was an all Devero show, while Mobil had balanced offense to take a 47-35 halftime lead.

At the start of the second half, Esdrelon and Ernie Moises had seven points apiece and Joyner added five, but Devero was limited to one field goal. Fiesta launched a late rally in the third to cut the 17-point deficit to six, 60-66, entering the final canto.

In the payoff period, Esdrelon and Devero combined for 19 markers, but the rest of their teammates failed to score more than two field goals.

In the curtain raiser, Hyatt recovered from its debut loss to Mobil (77-83) after beating Shirley’s, 89-78.

Shirley’s joined Fiesta at the bottom of the team standings in the 10-squad field, as the former also fell to a 0-2 slate. Shirley’s bowed to defending champion Pacific Islands Club-NVM in the league opener last Sunday, 94-89.

After facing a two-point deficit at the end of the first period, 15-17, Hyatt seized control of the match in the second quarter and hung in there to break into the win column. Bernard Aquino led Hyatt with 19 points, 13 of them coming in the second half. Jun Alipio also played better in the second half, recording 10 of his 16 markers in the last 20 minutes of play. Christian Devero and Jeff Durant chipped in 14 and 12, respectively.

J.R. Barrios and Rommel Usi had 18 points apiece for Shirley’s but the former was held to two free throws in the crucial fourth quarter. Kae Bernardo contributed 16, but was scoreless in the fourth. Wowie Abuel added 14.

Hyatt 89 – Aquino 19, Alipino 16, Devero 14, Durant 12, Tumaquip 8, Umali 7, Palacios 7, Mateo 6.

Shirley’s 78 – Usi 18, Barrios 18, Bernardo 16, Abuel 14, De Dios 6, Sedillo 4, Peredo 2.

Scoring by quarters: 15-17, 41-35, 60-56, 89-78.

Mobil 98 – Demapan 26, Estolas 22, Gamboa 17, Rabauliman 14, Gapor 8, Ruluked 7, Sharry 2, Bautista 2.

Fiesta Resort 94 – Devero 26, Esdrelon 22, Joyner 19, Moises 13, Talania 6, Jinang 6, Salazar 2.

Scoring by quarters: 21-19, 47-35, 66-60, 98-94.