World Resort rallies past Shirley’s/Century Hotel

World Resort’s Jomar Danas pulls up for a floater against Shirley’s/Century Hotel’s Vince Manibusan during the second quarter of their game in the Budweiser Inter-Hotel caging last Tuesday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Down in first three quarters of the nightcap in the opening day of the revived league, World Resort more than doubled Shirley’s output in the fourth period and scored its most points in a quarter (25) to come away with the 10-point winning margin. World Resort’s twin-digit lead nearly matched Shirley’s/Century’s total production in the fourth canto alone, as the latter was held to 12 markers and four field goals.

Young guns John Lewis Junior and Eugene Manglona teamed up in World Resort’s fourth-quarter fight back as they combined for 19 points. Lewis started the fourth period with a triple to even up the count after World Resort trailed at the end of the third canto, 55-58. Manglona then finished what Lewis started, scoring World Resort’s last 9 markers. Manglona ended up with a team-high 22 points, 13 of them came in the final period, as he outgunned the entire Shirley’s/Century’s crew.

Shirley’s/Century collapsed in the fourth frame after only three players made baskets in the payoff canto. Only Rommel Usi and Sean Rabasto scored more than two points in the fourth quarter with the former nailing two triples and the latter adding four markers. Erick Dela Rosa was the other Shirley’s/Century’s to hit the board in the fourth, dropping the team’s first basket.

Shirley’s/Century’s led by as much as 8 points in the first half and completed the half time with a 44-38 advantage, as Usi sizzled with 13 big points in the second canto and canned three triples. The shooting guard tallied eight of Shirley’s/Century’s first nine points in the second period to give his team more cushion after a 20-15 lead in the first period.

Usi then went cold in the third canto, scoring only two points, while Manglona partnered with Vinas in bringing World Resort closer to Shirley’s/Century’s. Vinas and Manglona combined for 12 of World Resort’s 17 points in the third to cut Shirley’s/Century’s lead to three.

Manglona picked up where he left off in the fourth canto and this time found a new ally in Lewis to hand World Resort a win in its debut.

Meanwhile, defending champion Hyatt Regency Saipan and Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan played in the opening game of the league and results of the match will be reported in Saipan Tribune’s Friday edition.

World Resort 80 – Manglona 22, Lewis 17, Vinas 13, Danas 10, Bernardo 8, Raymond 4, Tiamzon 2, Valle 2.

Shirley’s/Century Hotel 70 – Usi 21, Dela Rosa 19, Rabasto 14, Jugos 7, Aguila 5, Nicdao 2.

Scoring by quarters: 15-20, 38-44, 55-58, 80-70.