By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

AQUA Resort Club pulled off a heart stopping 65-63 win over Hyatt to notch the championship in the 2006-2007 Inter-Hotel Basketball League/HANMI Cup last Sunday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym.
Eric Dalangin nailed a baseline basket in the closing seconds of the winner-take-all title match to beat prevent a finals upset and beat the hard-fighting Hyatt crew.
With the perpetual HANMI Cup trophy at stake, Aqua and Hyatt put on a good show in the finals.
There were a lot of lead changes and deadlocks with the game tied last at 63-all with 45 seconds left on the clock.
Hyatt had the chance to take the lead, but faltered when Edmark Mendoza muffed a turnaround jumper.
Aqua’s Dalewin Cortez grabbed the rebound and passed the ball to Dalangin, who was quickly fouled by a Hyatt player before he was able to cross the midcourt line.
With the 24-shotclock winding down, Aqua’s Darwin Barbo drove to the middle, but was fouled by Mendoza before the former released the ball.
It was a good foul, as Hyatt was not in penalty yet getting only their fourth foul.
With 18.1 seconds remaining in the game, Hyatt sued for time to set up a defensive stop.
Aqua inbounded the ball on the left sideline opposite its bench. Domingo received the pass from Barbo, but the ball was tapped and was almost stolen by Hyatt’s Dexter Dillay.
Dillay continued his hustle play and was rewarded, as he successfully stole the ball when Domingo threw a pass to Cortez in the shaded lane.
Dillay dribbled away from Aqua defenders heading to the right sideline near Aqua’s baseline.
Two Aqua defenders chased Dillay on the sideline with Dalangin coming from the former’s right side slightly nudging the Hyatt guard and stole the ball.
Dalangin dribbled to the left heading towards the middle then shifted to the right baseline and made the winning baskets with 0.2 remaining on the clock.
Dalangin finished with 12 points, eight in the fourth quarter to help Aqua recover from a 40-45 deficit at the end of the third period.
Cortez topscored for the eventual champion with 22 points.
Barbo added 12 markers.
Dillay led Hyatt’s losing cause with 22 points, while Bernard Aquino chipped in 18.
Hyatt struggled offensively in the first quarter firing only seven points.
Aqua took a 16-7 lead at the end of the first quarter and was still in the driver’s seat at halftime, 27-24, as Hyatt scored only 11 points in the second period.
Hyatt recovered in the third period outscoring Aqua, 21-13, with Dillay exploding for 11 points.
The fourth quarter was a seesaw battle and the game seemed headed to overtime before Dalangin made the biggest basket in the match.
Aqua won the HANMI Cup undefeated. The Achuga-based team swept the regular season, 8-0, and beat PIC in the semis.
In the consolation game, Fiesta Resort downed Pacific Islands Club, 74-66.
Scores:
Third Place
Fiesta 74—Usi 22, Esdrelon 18, Macoto 14, Carino 9, Alipala 5, David 4, Ong 2.
PIC 66—Pambid 24, Tolentino 14, Catacutan 10, Apasan 6, Abuy 6. Bartolo 2, Ngeskebei 2.
Quarterscores: 18-all, 33-34, 52-48, 74-66
Championship
Aqua 65—Cortez 22, Barbo 12, Dalangin 12, Domingo 8, Ambrosio 8, Johanes 3.
Hyatt 63—Dillay 22, Aquino 18, Mendoza 9, Umali 8, Yamamoto 4, Vargas 2.
Quarterscores: 16-7, 27-24, 40-45, 65-63