JEDDAH, 23 November — The Friday Morning Sunriser basketball tournament is off to an ostentatious revival this morning at the Saudi Tel gym as the modest expectation of the OFBL organizers of only 14 teams had been breached with around twenty teams joining the event.
It had its "soft opening" two weeks ago to test the murky waters of a morning weekend basketball event — met with a warm and enthusiastic response — will officially hold its grand opening ceremony starting 8 a.m. today where singer-composer Rolly Amaranto, the music man responsible for putting up the collage album "Awit Abroad (Para Sa Inyo, OFW Ng Buong Mundo)" is expected to grace the event to hand out free CDs to lucky viewers and render a song from the album himself.
Entered in the Inter Food chain-Restaurant division are Al-Tazaj Fakieh, Popeye’s Kentucky, The Captain, McDonald’s, Burger King, Al-Joon and Al-Gomri Fastfood while in the bonafide intercompany division Saudi Tel, Kodak, Gulfmade, MODA Air Defense, Denso ALJ, Ericsson, Al-Yanabie and Al-Raya Green Farms are the competing teams.
The Overseas Filipino Basketball Association is spearheaded by Dennis Eco (chairman), and Salvador "Boy" Teves (vice-chairman). Other officers include Lino Yamson (commissioner), Vener Torres (finance director), Edd R. Reyta (secretary), the triumvirate of Ruben Manahan, Talat Alam & Ali Sanhani collectively listed as general advisers and F. Rocky Tadili (PRO-Sportswriter).
Hand in hand with the newly-organized Saudi Tel Basketball Association (STBA) under tournament director Rod Samson, Luis Austria (director of operations), Marlo Reyes (tournament coordinator) and the technical committee composed of Benny Fabros, Alfred Yao, Eric Calma, Lory Bello and Charlie Blancaflor, the two-month long tournament is set every Friday Morning with a targeted three games to be officiated by the Basketball Officiating Group (BOG) headed by former PBA referee Jun Lansang.
This OFBL basketball offering is being resurrected after a hiatus of almost two years with the backing of the Jeddah All-Sports Development (JADE)-Saudi Tel chapter represented by external VP D. Eco and public relations officer S. Teves. International Food & Consumables Goods, the distributor of Snapple Juice drinks all throughout the Kingdom sponsors this tournament represented by Bilal Antar and Hembert de Castro.
In the pre-opening games, host Saudi Tel Co. went to the tried and tested trio of Medina, Reyes and Fetalcorin as they outsmarted Al-Tazaj Fakieh, 68-54, while Denso-ALJ fashioned out a close 74-71 win over Hydraulic City last Friday.
Nursing just a six-point lead at the end of the third, the telephone outfitters pounded on strong in the fourth quarter as they mowed down their rivals with Fetalcorin scoring seven of his total 13 points in that period. Cesar Medina and Marlo Reyes scored 16apiece for Saudi Tel while on the other hand, Pablo Viscayno’s (16-point) effort fell short as only Eric Perez (10) came to his support and the rest of Al-Tazaj offered token resistance in the final frame.
Denso ALJ’s Quintana was the day’s highest scorer with 21 while teammates Colibao and Principe chipped in 13 and 12. Manacmol (19) and Ramirez M. (14) led Hydraulic City in a game where victory was decided at the free throw line. Colibao split his charities to break a 71-71 standoff and in the ensuing play Principe drilled up the final field goal after Hydraulic City bungled their offensive thrust.
