FIBA Basketball
KSA - ARCC, Al Suwaidi down rivals in EPBL cage fest
DAMMAM (EPBL) - Al Rushaid Construction Company (ARCC-EEI) thwarted FMQ Sons Company gritty comeback in the elimination round to score a heart-pounding 66-51 win in the on-going 19th Open Conference of the Eastern Province Basketball League before another huge crowd at the Al Ettifaq Sports Club in this city
DAMMAM (EPBL) - Al Rushaid Construction Company (ARCC-EEI) thwarted FMQ Sons Company gritty comeback in the elimination round to score a heart-pounding 66-51 win in the on-going 19th Open Conference of the Eastern Province Basketball League before another huge crowd at the Al Ettifaq Sports Club in this city.
Facing the specter of another collapse, the Juaymah-based dribblers leaned on the steady hands of Roberto Quiambao and Dominic Apelo to post their second win.
Quiambao canned two pressure-packed charities in the final 15 seconds and then helped the team foil FMQ Sons Company's last offensive attack to prevail.
"I was afraid that we will lose again after taking a huge lead but thanks we managed to hang on and beat one of the stronger teams in the league," said Coach Elmer San Miguel. "I'm thankful to my boys who managed to sustain their momentum till the last minute."
For a while, ARCC -EEI, who once ruled EPBL Premier League back in the late 90's, appeared headed to a runaway win after posting a 45-36 lead early in the fourth but the Pipeline Specialists refused to give up easily as they inch their way to give ARCC a big scare.
Held scoreless in the third after scoring eight in the first two quarters, FMQ's Vic Bolado recovered his bearing in the fourth adding 8 more points, including two freak baskets that moved them to within 43-55 in the dying minutes of the match.
The boys of Rick Dela Cruz had the chance to maneuver the run and gun pattern of ARCC but they failed to get that opportunity as the ARCC tightened their defensive screws.
"This is our worst game ever, we can't find our rhythm, the boys can't even equalized the challenge given by the ARCC. We have to re-draw the game plan. I assure you, we will get back at them next time", said Dela Cruz.
FMQ's so-so performance was evident in the entire match as Gilbert Giangan, Jeroen Azucena, Allen Noynay and Romeo Bautista terribly missed their target, while defendable wingman Alvin Balajadia suffered light cut on the face following a loose ball collision.
Quiambao led ARCC with 15 points, while Apelo and Raymundo Ortencio added 13 and 12 points.
In another match, Al Suwaidi Holding Company rediscovered its shooting touch and found a way to limit the scoring of Lebanese sensation Saidi Mustafa as Al Suwaidi turned back Nesma Contracting Company, 109-89, and kept their title hopes alive in the inter-company league.
Al Allet's successive baskets in the final three minutes, amid the tight guarding of Rey Balmes, dealt the killing blows to the faltering Nesma five.
Getting spirited plays from Rey Pasamba and Noel Intal at both ends of the floor, coach Sanny Abaring said, "the boys played great especially Allet. He bailed us out just at the right time. If Allet, Pasamba and Intal continuous to play like that, we can then set our sights on the championship."
The Nesma five tried to recover from a slow start with a 10-2 burst in the fourth period but the boys of Abaring wouldn't let them.
"Even if we lost, I'm really proud about the way our team played", said the high-leaping Mustafah. "We had good looks at the rim, the shots just didn't fall. It's not yet over. We still have more games left."
Allet scored a game high 32 points while Intal and Pasamba chipped in 23 and 14 points. Mustafah had a monster game of 47 points while Marc Valencia and Balmes added 16 and 14 points, respectively.
In the Premier League, the National Pipe Company continued its unbeaten run after whipping Phuket Restaurant, 100-92.
With Phuket's Saudi National team member Ahmed Samter swatting NPC's attempts inside the paint in the early going, ex-pro Jessie Cabanayan started connecting treys on the way to a season-high 23 points and leading a huge second-quarter charge.
"We shot the ball well while Cabanayan and Jordan Sinio established our outside game,'' NPC coach Rex Roy said. "They stayed right in there and they might have gotten tired but I don't take hot men out. It's great to see them lit up the scoreboard. They spread the defense and opened everything up, that's the key."
Phuket kept the game close at the start of second half when the Restarateurs got back to shooting form and applied their vaunted two-three zone defense. A see-saw battle ensued with six lead changes in the third quarter.
With both teams trading baskets, NPC clamped down on Phuket's outside shooters and began controlling the paint midway into the final period. Two successive triples by Cabanayan and Sinio put NPC on top, 94-86, with less than two minutes left.
The exciting match showcased slam dunk duel between NPC's ex-MBA cager Anthony Nabong and Phuket's 6'7" Samter.
Nabong finished with 18 points while Sinio contributed 13 points.
Ex-PBL Osaka player Omar Asmad led all scorers with 38 points while Samter, Zaher Khurais and Arthur Palima combined for 40 points.
Other game results, SFCCL smashed undermanned Carlson Forwarders 89-73, Panda downed Al Bustan 89-86, ACEC ambushed Mazda 98-70, SAPMT Abqaiq trashed Arcan Vita 85-76.
Kim G. Cortez
FIBA correspondent in Saudi Arabia
Facing the specter of another collapse, the Juaymah-based dribblers leaned on the steady hands of Roberto Quiambao and Dominic Apelo to post their second win.
Quiambao canned two pressure-packed charities in the final 15 seconds and then helped the team foil FMQ Sons Company's last offensive attack to prevail.
"I was afraid that we will lose again after taking a huge lead but thanks we managed to hang on and beat one of the stronger teams in the league," said Coach Elmer San Miguel. "I'm thankful to my boys who managed to sustain their momentum till the last minute."
For a while, ARCC -EEI, who once ruled EPBL Premier League back in the late 90's, appeared headed to a runaway win after posting a 45-36 lead early in the fourth but the Pipeline Specialists refused to give up easily as they inch their way to give ARCC a big scare.
Held scoreless in the third after scoring eight in the first two quarters, FMQ's Vic Bolado recovered his bearing in the fourth adding 8 more points, including two freak baskets that moved them to within 43-55 in the dying minutes of the match.
The boys of Rick Dela Cruz had the chance to maneuver the run and gun pattern of ARCC but they failed to get that opportunity as the ARCC tightened their defensive screws.
"This is our worst game ever, we can't find our rhythm, the boys can't even equalized the challenge given by the ARCC. We have to re-draw the game plan. I assure you, we will get back at them next time", said Dela Cruz.
FMQ's so-so performance was evident in the entire match as Gilbert Giangan, Jeroen Azucena, Allen Noynay and Romeo Bautista terribly missed their target, while defendable wingman Alvin Balajadia suffered light cut on the face following a loose ball collision.
Quiambao led ARCC with 15 points, while Apelo and Raymundo Ortencio added 13 and 12 points.
In another match, Al Suwaidi Holding Company rediscovered its shooting touch and found a way to limit the scoring of Lebanese sensation Saidi Mustafa as Al Suwaidi turned back Nesma Contracting Company, 109-89, and kept their title hopes alive in the inter-company league.
Al Allet's successive baskets in the final three minutes, amid the tight guarding of Rey Balmes, dealt the killing blows to the faltering Nesma five.
Getting spirited plays from Rey Pasamba and Noel Intal at both ends of the floor, coach Sanny Abaring said, "the boys played great especially Allet. He bailed us out just at the right time. If Allet, Pasamba and Intal continuous to play like that, we can then set our sights on the championship."
The Nesma five tried to recover from a slow start with a 10-2 burst in the fourth period but the boys of Abaring wouldn't let them.
"Even if we lost, I'm really proud about the way our team played", said the high-leaping Mustafah. "We had good looks at the rim, the shots just didn't fall. It's not yet over. We still have more games left."
Allet scored a game high 32 points while Intal and Pasamba chipped in 23 and 14 points. Mustafah had a monster game of 47 points while Marc Valencia and Balmes added 16 and 14 points, respectively.
In the Premier League, the National Pipe Company continued its unbeaten run after whipping Phuket Restaurant, 100-92.
With Phuket's Saudi National team member Ahmed Samter swatting NPC's attempts inside the paint in the early going, ex-pro Jessie Cabanayan started connecting treys on the way to a season-high 23 points and leading a huge second-quarter charge.
"We shot the ball well while Cabanayan and Jordan Sinio established our outside game,'' NPC coach Rex Roy said. "They stayed right in there and they might have gotten tired but I don't take hot men out. It's great to see them lit up the scoreboard. They spread the defense and opened everything up, that's the key."
Phuket kept the game close at the start of second half when the Restarateurs got back to shooting form and applied their vaunted two-three zone defense. A see-saw battle ensued with six lead changes in the third quarter.
With both teams trading baskets, NPC clamped down on Phuket's outside shooters and began controlling the paint midway into the final period. Two successive triples by Cabanayan and Sinio put NPC on top, 94-86, with less than two minutes left.
The exciting match showcased slam dunk duel between NPC's ex-MBA cager Anthony Nabong and Phuket's 6'7" Samter.
Nabong finished with 18 points while Sinio contributed 13 points.
Ex-PBL Osaka player Omar Asmad led all scorers with 38 points while Samter, Zaher Khurais and Arthur Palima combined for 40 points.
Other game results, SFCCL smashed undermanned Carlson Forwarders 89-73, Panda downed Al Bustan 89-86, ACEC ambushed Mazda 98-70, SAPMT Abqaiq trashed Arcan Vita 85-76.
Kim G. Cortez
FIBA correspondent in Saudi Arabia