PIC, Kanoa Resort crush opponents

Pacific Islands Club and Kanoa Resort had rousing debuts in the 2014 Budweiser Inter-Hotel Basketball League as they hammered their respective foes last Tuesday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

PIC played in the curtain-raiser and whipped Hyatt Regency Saipan, 68-45, while in the night cap Kanoa Resort pounded Mariana Resort, 82-56. PIC and Kanoa joined opening day victors World Resort and Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan in the win column, while the defending champion Hyatt dropped to a 0-2 record, and Mariana Resort lost its opener.

Kanoa Resort’s Fred Litulumar goes up for a point-blanked shot against two Mariana Resort defenders during their game in the Budweiser Inter-Hotel caging last Thursday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

A solid roster that has big men Bart Demapan and Darwin Barbo and young guns Jack Aranda and Bryle Alegre proved to be too much to handle for Mariana Resort. The foursome combined for more than half of PIC’s output with Demapan top-scoring for the team, making 15 points. Barbo and Aranda chipped in 14 and 12, respectively, while Alegre finished with nine.

PIC led from start to finish, taking an early double-digit spread right after the first period, 22-12, to set up the one-sided win. Demapan and company took turns in anchoring PIC’s offense in each of the four quarters to hand Hyatt back-to-back losses.

Hyatt suffered the lopsided defeat, as it had only Sahj Hossain and Jun Alipio countering PIC’s attack. Hossain recorded a game-high 19 points, while Alipio contributed 13, and the rest of Hyatt’s players logged no more than one basket each.

Meanwhile, in the second game, Kanoa stepped on the pedal in the second half en route to the 26-point winning margin against Mariana Resort.

Ahead by only eight at the break, 37-29, Kanoa held Mariana Resort to four field goals and 11 points, while scoring 20 to enter the final canto with a promising 57-40 advantage. Edward Armia led the breakaway, firing eight of his 21 markers in the third period, while Mico Usi added six.
Kanoa went on to pull away further in the fourth frame, as its other players stepped up, while Mariana Resort failed to hit baskets in succession to drop its opening match.

First Game

PIC 68 – Demapan 15, Barbo 14, Aranda 12, Alegre 9, Tolentino 5, Abuy 5, Quitugua 4, Catacutan 2, Bartolo 2.

Hyatt 45 – Hossain 19, Alipio 13, Libuw 3, Ilemelong 4, Muna 2, Benghit 1.

Scoring by quarters: 22-12, 33-23, 49-37, 68-45.

Second Game

Kanoa Resort 82 – Armia 21, Usi 15, Duenas 14, Litulumar 9, De Leon 4, Pablo 4, Cruz 2, Lumauag 2.

Mariana Resort 56 – Manglona 15, Gatdula 13, Bansil 10, Capuli 5, San Nicolas 2, Roskow 2, Camacho 2, Marpuri 2, Omori 2.

Scoring by quarters: 16-13, 37-29, 57-40, 82-56.