Fiesta stuns unbeaten PIC for title

Pacific Islands Club-Saipan’s undefeated season came to a bitter end Tuesday night after No. 2 seed Fiesta Resort & Spa escaped with a 75-71 decision in the one-game finals of the 2015 Inter-Commercial Business Basketball League at the packed Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Members of Fiesta Resort & Spa celebrate following their hard-earned win over the previously undefeated Pacific Islands Club in the 2015 Inter-Commercial Business Basketball League last Tuesday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Jon Perez)

It was a sorry loss for PIC after sweeping the nine games it played in the elimination round and then breezing past its playoffs foes, the last against Fiesta, 89-77, last week to clinch the first finals berth.

Fiesta, which also lost to PIC in the regular season, cruised to a 91-71 victory over Joeten Enterprises in their knockout semis match last week.

Fiesta appeared headed to another easy victory after Lerio Pagarao’s layup pushed their lead to 60-49 with 7:36 to go in the final period. Pagarao’s basket brought their fans and their bench up on their feet.

But PIC won’t go down quietly.

PIC gunner Jack Aranda punctuated his 7-point swing with a wide-open 3-pointer to cap a 17-7 exchange that had the reigning inter-hotel league champions threatening at 66-67 with 1:55 left.

R.J. Nonato missed his layup attempt giving the ball back to PIC. PIC could have grabbed the lead but Aranda lost the handle of the ball allowing Elmer Esdrelon to pick it up and issue a baseball pass to a running Pagarao, who swooped for uncontested layup to give Fiesta a 69-66 breathing room with time down to 1:28.

PIC flubbed its next offensive try, which Fiesta again capitalized as Pagarao and Esdrelon pushed their lead to 73-66 with 65 ticks left.

An Eric Dela Rosa twinner and a Bartley Demapan layup, which sandwiched an Aranda split free throw, had PIC threatening for the last time at 71-73 with 25 seconds to go.

Matt Duenas, who got free from the PIC defense, sealed Fiesta’s win with his own layup.

Fiesta led from the opening tip as it found an answer to every PIC rally to keep their opponents at bay.

Pagarao scattered 28 points to lead all scorers, while Duenas scored 13 of his 18 points in the first half where Fiesta enjoyed a 40-32 lead at the break.

Esdrelon had an all around game of 12 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, and two steals. Nonato made nine markers and collected a team-high 17 boards.

Aranda led PIC’s losing cause 20 points with Demapan scoring 15 and grabbing nine rebounds. Sam Kosow had a double-double of 11 markers and 18 rebounds.

Fiesta 75 – Pagarao 28, Duenas 18, Esdrelon 12, Nonato 9, Matsutaro 4, Arreza 2, Morales 2.

PIC 71 – Aranda 20, Demapan 15, Kosow 11, Hambros 8, Barbo 6, Rabasto 6, Dela Rosa 3, Abuy 2.

Scoring by quarters: 18-14, 40-32, 56-49, 75-71.