BY JEBB CABRIANA

RIYADH — The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh wasted no time in dismantling the undermanned Hyatt Regency as it now holds the league’s highest scoring output with 109 points as opposed to Hyatt’s 51 in the 2018 Hoteliers League Riyadh Basketball Tournament here. Julius Abalos, a reserve player for the Ritz-Carlton, shone brightly as he recorded the topmost individual score with an enormous 48 points alongside 5 assists and 4 rebounds to take home Fawri’s Player of the Game honor.

Julius Abalos started the game with only 2 points in the first quarter but came back blazing in the second frame and delivered 20 points. He had a break in third quarter and came back at fourth to release as much as 26 points, the best single performance in a quarter. Charles Valenzuela, Churchill Sales and Jeremiah Nick Calago chipped in with 15, 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Hyatt Regency played with no one to substitute their only five fielded players. Youness Tinebinal led Hyatt in scoring with 22 points and assisted by Joseph Cumeda’s 17 points. Hyatt, with a current 0-5 win-loss record has a chance to still make it to the next round if it wins its last two remaining games against Kempinski and Holiday Inn. The Ritz-Carlton’s win is its fifth out of 6 games and now leads the league ranking.

Earlier, Fairmont immediately bounced back after a lopsided loss against the now second placer Vivienda when it escaped the gritty Holiday Inn, 72-63. Jayson Tuano, Mark Angelou Arcilla and John Paul Bangalan teamed up for 19 markers out of the 24 points scored by Fairmont in the fourth frame to survive Holiday Inn’s failed come-from-behind arrest. Down by 9 points, Holiday Inn was able to tie the game at 48-all at the end of third canto only to give up in the last 5 minutes of the match.

John Paul Bangalan was named Fawri’s Player of the Game after posting 15 points, 1 steal and 4 rebounds. Jayson Tuano, John Benedict Gasillos and Mark Angelou Arcilla chipped in 15, 14 and 11 points, respectively.

Freddie Redulfin top scored for Holiday Inn with 24 points, half of which was from the three-point line. Leomar Herrera and Marneil Ocampo added 16 and 12 points each.

Fairmont now holds the third place with 4-2 record while Holiday Inn remains winless after 5 games.

Scores:

Fairmont 72 — Bangalan 15, Tuano 15, Gasillos 14, Arcilla 11, Li 6, Yuzon 5, Dalusung 4, Saniel 2, Arguelles 0, Dionido 0, San Andres 0, De Guzman 0.

Holiday Inn 63 — Redulfin 24, Herrera 16, Ocampo 12, Perez 5, Diamante 4, Ayson 2, Maycong 0, Bualat 0.

Quarters: 21-18; 39-30; 48-48; 72-63.

Ritz-Carlton 109 — Abalos 48, Valenzuela 15, Sales 12, Calago 10, Trongcoso 8, Qanaq 8, Roque 4, Reyes 4, Browly 0.

Hyatt 51 — Tinebinal 22, Cumeda 17, Monis 8, Pangcoga 2, Delos Santos 2.

Quarters: 19-16; 51-25; 71-33; 109-51.