KSA - Opening day hoop-set as Al Khathlan pull off their first-ever win

DAMMAM (EPBL) - Roderick Ordinario scored 26 points to nail a 90-78 victory over title-contenders Airbase Hospital.

The wards of Mohammed Rashid Al Khathlan registered an astonishing, first-ever 90-78 victory over title-contenders Airbase Hospital in the Inter-Company Division A, while Al Majdouie whipped past Gulf Consolidated Contractors Company 94-41 on the first week of action in the Eastern Province Basketball League (EPBL) in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.

Al Khathlan led by three points at half-time 35-32, but two of their offensive threats hit big shots to the stretch the lead by 15 points in the third quarter. Roderick Ordinario topped his teammates with 26 points, including four triples, while Rolly Mangiliman came off the bench with 10 of his 22 points at crunch times.

Milder Vergara added 11 points and 15 rebounds, while play-maker Noel Malazo had seven points and five assists for Al Khathlan.

Airbase were out-rebounded at 14-25 and ace guard Emerson Carbonel was sent from the bench to outrun the opposition on the fast break, and fueled the run in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 73-79, with 1:58 seconds remaining.

Regretably, most of Airbase's back-ups did not respond well in the paint and Al Khathlan's Veronique Alatraca cornered a baseline lay-up to post 81-73 with 1:22 remaining to seal the win.

Airbase's Carbonel led all the scorers with 29 points and four assists while Mack Bulatao and John Reynoso scored 15 and 10 points, respectively.

"Our boys played the game according to our plans. It was a satisfactory game considering that we are first-time entrant in the EPBL. We played them equally but our rebounding gave us more chance to shoot," said Ariel Reyes, the rookie coach of Al Khathlan.

Meanwhile, Al Majdouie Group paraded new talents on Jay Recato, Nino Jacinto, Jeffrey Salvador and Syrian sensation Hadi Waleed Akad to combine for a big 49 points to trash GCC Company 94-41 in a lopsided win in the Inter-Company Division B. Al Majdouie's ace gunner Joy Belmonte led all scorers with 32 points while GCC's Jimmy Gorospe recorded 15 points including his two triples.

In the curtain-raiser, Isam Kabbani's COSMA slipped past Abdullah Fouad 73-54, Chowking Restaurant dumped Guardians Reformist Group 100-66, Al Falak defeated King Fahad Specialists Hospital, 82-70, Gulf Real Estate won by default against Dammam Warriors and Future Pipe Industries turned back COSMA, 79-68.

Isam Kabbani's Construction and Maintenance (COSMA) Division and Al Falak Systems Solutions are the major sponsors of the 21st Season of EPBL dubbed as the Commissioners Cup, supported by Al Majdouie Group, Phuket Restaurant, Cecile's Catering, McDonalds and The Filipino Channel (TFC).

By Romeo O. Navidad
FIBA Correspondent in Saudi Arabia