Fiesta, PSS/McGraw-Hill make semis

Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan showed poise in the homestretch to oust Shirley’s, 103-91, and advance to the semifinals of the 3rd Annual Shirley’s Coffee Shop Invitational Basketball League last Tuesday night at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

Fiesta withstood Shirley’s repeated comeback bids to set a semis duel against PSS/McGraw-Hill, which earlier eliminated and dethroned 2010 champion Pacific Islands Club/NVM in another playoff match.

Brendon Talania, Ivan Devero, and Ernie Moises hit rally-halting baskets in the fourth quarter, while Elmer Esdrelon led the team’s second quarter-recovery to bring Fiesta back into the Final Four after missing the semis last season.

Shirley’s failed to march into the semis for the third straight time despite getting off to a good start in its playoff game over Fiesta. With Marlon De Dios sizzling with 10 points, the host led by as much as 15 points before settling for a 28-21 advantage after the first period.

However, Fiesta quickly regrouped in the second period with the 12 and eight markers of Esdrelon and Devero, respectively, leading the way to take a double-digit lead at halftime, 56-46.

Shirley’s played catch up from thereon and moved to as close as one point, but simply could not overtake Fiesta and eventually lost the match after going scoreless in the last 2:32 of the game.

An 18-9 scoring run in the first five minutes of the third brought Shirley’s within one, 64-65, but Esdrelon and Jinang hit back-to-back treys to give Fiesta more breathing room. Then Shirley’s Wowie Abuel scored seven straight points in the closing minutes of the third and Fiesta’s lead was down to only four, 79-75, with a full quarter to go.

Despite Shirley’s threat, Fiesta managed to hang on to the lead in the fourth with Devero going 6-for-6 from the foul line in the first six minutes of final canto. Shirley’s then moved within three, 77-80, off J.R. Barrios’ drive, but Talania answered with two consecutive baskets to bring the lead back to seven, with over three minutes left on the clock.

A Barrios pair of charities cut the lead to three anew, 94-91, with 2:32 remaining in the game, before Moses canned a baseline jumper and escaped with a fastbreak layup to give Fiesta enough cushion.

One free throw each from Bruce Berline and Jinang sealed the deal for Fiesta and the former capped the game with a triple in the last six seconds of the match.

Esdrelon top-scored for Fiesta with 30, while Devero added 19. Jinang and Talania finished with 14, while Jawn Joyner contributed 13.

De Dios paced Shirley’s with 27, while Abuel chipped in 16, but had only two points in the fourth. Kae Bernardo also finished in twin digits with 13, but was in and out of the game and scoreless in the fourth. Rommel Usi nailed 10, but was limited to one field goal in each of the four quarters.

PSS 90, PIC/NVM 87

PSS/McGraw-Hill clinched the third semis ticket after outclassing PIC/NVM in the curtain raiser.

PSS took control of the game in the second quarter and thwarted PIC’s rally in the fourth to eliminate the 2010 champion.

Dave Sablan finished with 12 first-half points and Kelvin Fitial made nine, as PSS turned a 19-all deadlock to a 46-40 lead at the break. Fitial added seven more, while Sablan drilled five, increasing PSS’ advantage to nine in the third, 70-61. PIC failed to overhaul the lead in the third, as only Darwin Barbo drained more than one field goal in the third period.

In the fourth quarter, Sablan and company traded baskets with PIC to keep the win. Sablan finished with 23 points, while his three other teammates scored in double figures and two more combined for 16. Bon Tamayo led PIC with 23.

PSS and Fiesta will meet in the second semis match tonight at 8pm, while early qualifiers Mobil and DFS collide in the first game at 6pm.

First Game

PSS/McGraw-Hill 90 – Sablan 23, Fitial 19, Mendez 11, Villacrusis 11, Cabrera 8, Manibusan 8, Guerrero 2, Lee 2, Itibus 2, Buniag 2.

PIC/NVM 87 – Tamayo 23, Barbo 15, Abuy 13, Lizama 11, Aquino 6, Fernando 6, Rasa 4, Yabut 3, J. Mina 2, Johanes 2, Je. Mina 1, Diaz 1.

Scoring by quarters: 19-19, 46-40, 70-61, 90-87.

Second Game

Fiesta 103 – Esdrelon 30, Devero 19, Talania 14, Jinang 14, Joyner 13, Berline 9, Moises 6.

Shirley’s 91 – De Dios 27, Abuel 16, Bernardo 13, Usi 10, Peredo 8, Barrios 7, Catungal 6, Sedillo 6,

Scoring by quarters: 21-28, 56-46, 79-75, 103-91.