Fiesta Resort closes out first round with victory

Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan capped the first round of the regular season of the 2014 Tan Holdings Inter-Company Basketball League with an 84-74 win over Kanoa Resort last Saturday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

Fiesta Resort, which ended the first round with second-best 4-1 record, managed to take the double-digit winning margin despite a later rally from Kanoa Resort. Kanoa Resort fell behind by as much as 16 points in the fourth quarter, 68-52, but moved within four in the last 1:25 of the match, 71-75, off Edward Armia’s putback from a missed bonus shot from Mico Usi. However, Fiesta scored back-to-back baskets in less than 30 seconds to restore order on the team and foil Kanoa’s comeback bid.

Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan’s Ralph Lavarias pulls up for a short jumper against Kanoa Resort’s Matt Duenas during the fourth quarter of their game in the Tan Holdings caging last Saturday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Quarterback Adonis Macoto, second stringer Jun Bello, and big man Joseph Villamena teamed up in Fiesta’s four-point swing. Macoto called the play for Fiesta after Armia’s basket, drove to the lane, and then dished the ball out to the waiting hands of Villamena, who was on the right shade lane and hit the point-blanked shot.

Action continued after Villamena’s bucket, but Kanoa’s Dindo Pablo lost the leather when Bello sneaked from behind and tapped the ball away. Macoto went on to pick up the loose ball and converted a layup to give Fiesta more breathing room, 53 seconds left on the clock.

Two botched Kanoa plays allowed Fiesta to increase its lead, as Villamena nailed another basket from the same spot, while Paul Quizon drilled his first triple in the match to bring the team’s lead back to twin digits, 84-71, eight second to go in the match. With the impending loss, Armia hung on to the ball for a while before pulling up for a triple at the buzzer to peg the final score.

Kanoa absorbed its second straight loss after a 3-0 start, while Fiesta won its last two in the first round. The opposing teams were in a close battle in the first half before Fiesta gain cushion behind the seven points of Esdrelon. Esdrelon finished with a game-high 35 points, while Macoto and Quizon chipped in 12 and 11, respectively. Matt Duenas paced Kanoa with his 25 markers, while Mico Usi added 19 and Armia contributed 16.

Meanwhile, results of the two other games last Saturday will be reported later this week.

Fiesta Resort 84 – Esdrelon 35, Macoto 12, Quizon 11, Matsutaro 6, Villamena 6 Alakoa 6, Galag 2, Lavarias 2.

Kanoa Resort 74 – Duenas 25, Usi 19, Armia 16, Pablo 8, Huliganga 2.

Scoring by quarters: 15-11, 39-35, 60-50.