By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

AQUA Resort Club moved to a win away from sweeping the regular season of the 2006-2007 Inter-Hotel Basketball League/HANMI Cup after pounding Hotel Nikko Saipan, 100-64, last Tuesday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym.
Aqua improved to an impressive 7-0 record and is likely to maintain its perfect slate, as it will be playing the winless World Resort in its last game on Feb. 13.
The 36-point win materialized for Aqua only in the second half, as Nikko kept the Achugao-based team at bay in the first half.
Nikko even led at the end of the first half, 40-38, as Aqua struggled in the first 20 minutes of the match.
Ronald Delos Reyes led Nikko in the first half nailing 19 points.
But Delos Reyes went cold, as he was limited to two points in the third quarter. The entire Nikko crew was sluggish in the third period, as they scored only seven markers and hit only two fieldgoals.
The third period was a breakout quarter for Aqua as they outscored Nikko, 36-7, with Chris Domingo and Eric Dalangin joining forces for the winning team.
Dalanging fired 13 points in the third period, while Domingo added 12, as Aqua raced to a 74-47 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Dalangin continued his domination in the fourth adding eight more points to lead Aqua’s winning cause. He finished with 31 points. Domingo chipped in 22, while Darwin Barbo contributed 14, including a one-handed slam that put the finishing touches on Aqua’s second-half demolition. Dalewin Cortez added 10.
Delos Reyes paced Nikko with 29 points, but the San Roque based-team still dropped to a 3-4 record. It must win its last game against Saipan Grand Hotel and pray that PIC and SGH will muff their remaining matches to have a chance in the semifinals.
Only the top four teams after the round-robin regular season will advance to the semis. So far, only Aqua is assured of a semis slot, while Fiesta, Hyatt, SGH, PIC and Nikko will be fighting for the remaining three spots.
Fiesta strengthened its semis chances after whipping World Resort Hotel, 96-71.
The victory was Fiesta’s fourth in six games, while World Resort remains winless in seven matches.
Edilberto Carino led Fiesta with 27 points, as the Garapan-based team controlled the game from start to finish to notch a 25-point triumph.
Rommel Usi and Ariel Jinang chipped in 16 apiece.
Usi started things out for Fiesta firing 10 markers in the first quarter to give his team a 22-13 lead.
The lead increased to 22 at halftime, 51-29, as Jinang exploded for 13 points and Carino added eight.
Carino scored 17 more points in the second half to give Fiesta an easy victory.
Scores:
First Game
Aqua 100—Dalangin 31, Domingo 22, Barbo 14, Cortez 10, Johannes 8, Aquino 7, Velez 6, Alcantara 2.
Nikko 64—Delos Reyes 31, Fernandez 15, Pineda 8, Manalo 7, Salazar 3, Manzano 2.
Quarterscores: 18-19, 38-40, 71-47, 100-64
Second Game
Fiesta 96—Carino 27, Usi 16, Jinang 16, Esdrelon 9, Ong 6, Villamena 4, Reyes 2, Tobias 2, Quinitip 2, David 2.
World Resort 71—Paras 15, Tagabuel 13, Navarro 12, Villegas 11, Murday 9, Montano 9.
Quarterscores: 22-13, 51-29, 72-56, 96-71