Fiesta steals title from Shirley’s

Fiesta Resort & Spa’s Jared Matsutaro pulls up for a jumper in front of Shirley Coffee Shop’s Josephus Aguilar, left, and Erick Dela Rosa during the third quarter of their title game in the Tan Holdings caging last Saturday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Fiesta stole the championship as Shirley’s Coffee Shop squandered a 3-point lead in the last 6.8 seconds and committed a costly turnover in an inbound play in the final 4.9.

Shirley’s went up 3, 69-66, as Rommel Usi went 3-for-4 from the foul line in their next two possessions, while Fiesta muffed several attempts under the one-minute mark of the final canto. After Usi made his second charity, Fiesta rushed the ball and the former gave up a foul on Esdrelon, thinking Shirley’s had fouls to give. However, Usi’s foul sent Shirley’s to the limit (5) and brought Esdrelon to the line for a pair of charities. Esdrelon made both to cut the deficit to 1, 68-69, 4.9 seconds left on the clock.

Shirley’s then attempted for the quick inbound with Usi getting the pass from Erick Dela Rosa and heading for a breakaway, but the play was halted as the team had earlier told officials it will call a timeout if Esdrelon makes the second free throw.

Shirley’s was eventually charged with a timeout and when the game resumed, it committed its biggest error of the season. Angel Catungal did the inbound at the right sideline just a few steps away from midcourt, while the rest of his teammates lined up near the free throw area. Usi then got out of the formation to get the ball and was followed by Jared Matsutaro and Lerio Pagarao, while other Shirley’s players also moved closer to Usi’s spot instead of going to the unmanned deep right sideline or the open left side of their court. The shooting guard managed to receive the leather, but he was on the danger zone—near midcourt—and was cornered by the two Fiesta defenders. Usi eventually lost possession when Matsutaro reached in for the steal and Pagarao picked up the loose ball, going straight to the basket for the dagger. With Fiesta now ahead in the remaining .5 of a second of the game, Sean Rabasto threw up a prayer after Shirley’s inbound play, but his shot was way too short.

It was a sorry loss for Shirley’s, which worked its way back into the game after trailing by as much as 14 early in the third quarter, 41-27. A backbreaking 18-2 scoring run in seven minutes allowed Shirley’s to turn the tables on Fiesta in the third canto. Rabasto and Dela Rosa teamed up in the recovery, combining for 12 points in that rally to put Shirley’s on top, 45-43. Shirley’s went on to increase the lead to 8, 52-44, with Catungal, Ariel Drilon, and Usi also hitting their shots, but Fiesta weathered the storm and finished the last two minutes of the third with an 8-0 run to even up the count. Pagarao and Adonis Macoto scored 4 points each to force the standoff.

The game remained close in the fourth quarter with Pagarao carrying Fiesta on his shoulders and Rabasto doing the same for Shirley’s. Rabasto scored 7 straight points for Shirley’s in the fourth, while Pagarao scattered 9, including the breakaway fastbreak basket that broke the hearts of Shirley’s fans, who outnumbered Fiesta supporters.

Pagarao top-scored for Fiesta with his 31 points, 13 of them came in the second quarter to help his team build a double-digit lead, 39-27, after hanging on to a 1-point cushion after the first canto, 14-13. Esdrelon chipped in 14. Rabasto paced Shirley’s with his 19 points while Dela Rosa and Usi added 14 and 11, respectively.

Fiesta 70 – Pagarao 31, Esdrelon 14, Macoto 6, Quizon 5, Matsutaro 2, Galag 2, Lavarias 2

Shirley’s 69 – Rabasto 19, Dela Rosa 14, Usi 11, Aguilar 6, Drillon 6, Catungal 4, Sedillo 3.

Scoring by quarters: 14-13, 39-27, 52-52, 70-69.