Aziziah and Industrial won must-win games against Yamama and Dunes to secure the last berths in the semifinals of the Siglakas International Riyadh South District Unity Cup Basketball Tournament 2012 at the Dunes Compound Filipino Community basketball court in Olaya Thalateen area here.
Shemesy and King Fahad Hospital (KFH) had earlier booked spots in the next round.
Aziziah will meet Industrial to be followed by a clash between Shemesy and KFH in a crossover knockout format where the winners contest the title in a best-of-three championship series. The losers play a knockout game for third and fourth place.
Yamama’s bid to stay in the race ended as Aziziah squad anchored by neophyte Ariel Cunanan, table turner Edison Bien, game icebreaker Angel Bautista, Raymond Gile and Ryan Reyes fashioned a 76-72 triumph.
Both teams started strong to conclude the initial period 16-14 to Aziziah, which opened a 10-point spread, 42-32, at the halftime break.
Yamama trimmed Aziziah’s to 4 points, 51-47, to begin the final period but Aziziah proved the better team in the end.
Joel Crisostomo and Ric Buban’s Industrial team survived Dunes scare to post a 62-45 victory. Industrial featuring Jayson Canarez, Dominador Ungria, Jeffrey Perez, Jeffrey Dacasin and Darwin Costales as well as Al Capulong, Norveen Ignacio and Vicente Jaranilla raised the level of their game on both ends of the court to dominate their rivals and conclude the match in their favor.
The tournament enjoys the generous support of Bukabin-Siglakas International Riyadh South District league advisers Armando C. Ortiz Sr., Felix A. Flor, Jr. and chair persons Willy Espiritu, Ed Resurreccion, Ricardo Manlutac, Ed Sarmiento, Oscar Rico, Rene Layug, Joe Amoncio, Salvador Vargas, Albert Datijan, Paul Alcantara and Ricky Guerrero. Dunes Compound Filipino Community through Rex Badida and Ben Samson Duhaylungsod also support the tournament.
The scores:
Aziziah (76) A. Cunanan 27, E. Bien 16, A. Bautista 12, R. Gile 8, R. Reyes 7, PR Castro 4, M. Natan 2 Yamama (72) R. Vargas 18, J. Borden 18, R. Hilig 12, R. Maninang 9, D. Enriquez 8, N. Quilar 5, R. Penas 2
Industrial (62) J. Canarez 18, D. Costales 12, J. Dacasin 8, J. Perez 8, D. Ungria 7, A. Capulong 4, N. Ignacio 3, V. Jaranilla 2 Dunes (45) M. Pelagio 12, E. Icban 9, R. Dizon 7, N. Bragado 4, B. Querubin 4, J. Bugawisan 4, R. Badida 3, A. Bernardo 1, N. Permato 1
Aziziah, Industrial complete semis cast in Siglakas Unity Cup
Aziziah, Industrial complete semis cast in Siglakas Unity Cup
Hojgaard inspires Dubai students as Hero Dubai Desert Classic takes trophy tour to schools
DUBAI: Young Danish star Nicolai Hojgaard helped inspire the next generation of golfers as the Hero Dubai Desert Classic took its Dallah Trophy on tour across Dubai schools before the tournament’s 37th edition.
The Middle East’s oldest golf event returns to Emirates Golf Club from Jan. 22-25, with the trophy tour forming part of a wider drive to promote the sport at grassroots level and engage young people throughout the UAE.
The initiative began on Monday at The English College, where Hojgaard, a DP World Tour professional, met students for a Q&A session and trophy presentation. Pupils also took part in introductory golf activities delivered by the Emirates Golf Federation, designed to give them a fun and accessible first experience of the game.
The school visits are being delivered in partnership with The R&A and the Emirates Golf Federation through The R&A’s “Unleash Your Drive in Schools” program. The initiative introduces golf in an inclusive, non-intimidating way while highlighting its physical and mental health benefits.
Following the opening visit, the trophy tour continued to Dubai Heights Academy on Tuesday and Horizon English School on Wednesday, with a final stop scheduled at Bloom World Academy on Thursday.
Simon Corkill, executive tournament director of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, said the program reflects the event’s long-term vision beyond elite competition.
“As the longest-running golf event in the Middle East, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic is proud to work with The R&A and the Emirates Golf Federation to inspire the next generation of golfers,” he said. “The trophy tour and school taster sessions demonstrate our commitment to developing future talent and ensuring golf is seen as an inclusive, enjoyable and healthy sport for young people.”
The Dubai Desert Classic is one of the flagship events on the global golf calendar and plays a central role in the sport’s growth in the region.
