Ed David’s Bin Quraya team beat equally formidable Al Zamil All-Star 84-80 to claim its first championship crown in Inter-Company Class A division Friday in the 12h UFBF-FAEC basketball tournament dubbed Pasiklaban sa Tag-Araw at Al Qadisia Sports Club here.
Sweet shooting Mark Gaddie Vergara, a former PCU Dolphins Team-B player, scored 22 points including 2 triples in the first half, Noel Almodovar had 21 markers while Nel Bandino finished with 18 points and Cocoy Onella added 14 in a highly anticipated match that could gone either way when Quraya’s 11-point lead vanished with 3:27 remaining in the third quarter. Nicofort David added 6 points while ace guard Ulymar Pedericos had 4 for Quraya.
Fahd Alireza Engineering Consultants is the tournament major sponsor while Al Hoty Group of Companies and Mohd. Dossary Hospital are minor sponsors.
Bringing out the best in each other with excellent teamwork and big fighting hearts, Quraya’s frontliners shone brightest early in the game with Vergara scoring 7 points in the first quarter teaming up with former AMA-Com Onella (7 points) , and Almodovar and Pederico who combined for 8 markers in the period that ended 22-11 to Quraya.
Quraya still led 45-38 entering the second half. Zamil, showing its championship form and experience, clawed back midway in the third quarter when the trio of multi-tilted Darwin Tuazon, slasher Bong Libramonte and Ryan Dagala made it a one-point game, 53-54, 3:27 left.
Zamil grabbed the lead for the first time, 55-54, on Tuazon’s uncontested shot underneath. Quraya’s Almodovar tied the game, 55-all, with a split charity and Quraya nursed a hairline margin, 57-56, going into the fourth quarter.
Sensing Zamil’s big comeback in the last quarter, Quraya coach Noli Policarpio turned to Bandino, Almodovar and Vergara who scored successively to put their team ahead 66-58 when Almodovar completed a three-point play off a foul by Patdu, with 7:52 to play.
Both teams fought hardest in the last two minutes converting basket after basket with Almodovar, Bandino and Vergara for Quraya against Libramonte, Hermosura, Patdu and Tuazon for Zamil. Patdu converted 2 triples and tied the game, 78-78, 1:26 left in the fourth quarter, but Vergara broke the deadlock with a perimeter shot. Zamil’s Dagala tied the game anew, 80-80, that proved to be their last hurrah as Tuazon failed to convert the first of two charity and intentionally missed the second throw for an automatic turnover, only 8.4 ticks left in the ballgame. Onella ended the match with a layup basket.
This was Vergara’s maiden appearance and yet he was named MVP with an average of 18 points per game. With Vergara in the mythical five selection were Almodovar and Bandino (Quraya) and Tuazon and Libramonte (Zamil).
Newcomer V-Mobile Technologies beat fancied and another rookie team Lemsy 80-75 for the Junior Division DA title . Henry Dela Torre scored 27 points, while Marvin Marasigan and Ryan Aguelo had 22 and 18 respectively. Joel Llego led all scorers with 28 points, Arnold Saavedra had 13 while Carl Palapal and Michael Galicha combined for 15 points for Lemsy.
Lemsy appeared in control in the opening salvo behind Llego and Saavedra to end the first quarter in front at 22-16.
But V-Mobile came back strong in the second period with Marasigan and Dela Torre’s 14 points to seize the lead back 38-35 at the turn. It was a see-saw contest in the last two quarters with both teams applying heavy pressure, but V-Mobile played better in the final quarter after outscoring Lemsy 26-18. Aguelo was named MVP and was joined in the mythical five by Dela Torre, Ryan Gonzalvo (V-Mobile), Llego and Galicha (Lemsy).
In a knockout game, Al Hoty Co. Ltd. beat Al Osais 91-80 to face Metals Services in the championship in Inter-Company Division B next Friday.
Metals enjoys a twice-to-beat advantage with an undefeated record in the elimination round. Veteran ace guard Arnold Haloc top-scored with 25 points including 3 triples, Filipino-Saudi Ali Ghali Al Khaledi and Nelson Sambahon each had 18 markers, Red Zipagan tallied 12 and Vic Calub added 9. True to his words, AlKhaledi had promised his coach to give it his best shot in his farewell game for Al Hoty.