RIYADH, 7 December — The tandem of veteran cagers Lino Fernandez and Rey “high leaper” Manigbas once again proved to be effective and considered to be a big plus factor leading the route for the BLM team whipped the Tokyo Sixers, 77-67 while recording a 2-0 team standing in the third day of the Sita Cargo Services and 8th Contracting Est. 2nd Open Invitational Basketball Tournament taking place at the 8th Contracting Est. Basketball Court, Riyadh every Friday from 7:00 a.m. onward.
In the same token, Jojo Flores dominated the Cash N Carry team’s scoreboard with his 27 big points contribution, aside from his 2 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 assists stat record while opening the window to their first win in two encounters.
BLM’s troika Lino Fernandez, Rey Manigbas, and Jilly Jusay highlighted impressive marks in the tournament’s statistic records, Fernandez with his 23 points share, Manigbas apart from his 22 baskets highlighted 7 rebounds, 3 blocks and a steal while Jusay aside from his 17 points registered 4 rebounds, 4 steals and a block.
The BLM and Tokyo Sixers of Peter Sundagon and Coach Lito Parangalan encounter started with the latter controlling and outscoring the former. The level of scoring was too rare and too slow that in the middle of the first canto BLM was scoreless and the Sixers with 5 points. Scoring was very elusive for both teams and maybe due to effect of the chilly wind but the cagers completely unmindful while struggling for supremacy in the hard court. Coach Gilbert Dinoso of the BLM team thought of formulating a strong defense which proved to be essential to the team and resulted to 15-13 score to their advantage at the close of the first quarter while getting the same opportunity, 36-30 at the second canto’s buzzer end.
All the way through, the Tokyo Sixers ace cagers Dhod Parangalan, who converted two successive field goals strengthened by Angel Tumambing’s four successive field goals and Daniel Brizuela’s efforts gave the BLM squad a bit of threat as they narrow the margin by a hairline, 44-43 at the mid of the third quarter.
But the BLM team of Yul Reantaso vowed to conclude the match in their favor, though it was an off-night for crowd favorite Jerry Rillo as Lino Fernandez retaliated and recorded 3 easy fast breaks followed by 3 field goals rifled by Rey Manigbas while continuing their amazing performance pounding a merciless shooting throughout the last quarter and finally completed the match with a sparkling 77-67 score at the last tick of the clock.
Coach Romy Gervacio and Team Manager Manny Villasenor of the Cash N Carry team were glad to see the outcome and tasted the sweetness of their victory against the Riyadh Slashers, 83-72. Jojo Flores launched a crucial situation to the Riyadh Slashers as he highlighted a deadly 12 points in the first quarter leading the way for his team to end the first canto with 27-16 score. To their team’s delight, point guard Jay Ilagio added 17 points, 4 rebounds and Philip Reyes with 13 points and 10 remarkable rebounds increasing a dozen level of deficit in the early part of the second canto. It was a long run for the Riyadh Slashers squad to stretch more muscles and strenuous efforts to get closer and to cut down the margin which finally in the middle of the second quarter, Manny Mendoza, Glenn Gato and Rey Velasquez regained retaliations and finally managed to cut the lead to a hairline 35-34. But not till quarter was done as in the last 52 seconds, the Slashers were on penalty situation giving more penalty conversions to the Cash N Carry boyz led by Jojo Flores adding 4 penalty points followed by 3 same opportunity conversions by Philip Reyes, closing the first half of the game with 45-36, 9 points advantage by the Cash N Carry team.
Cash N Carry cagers maintained their control during the third quarter through the effective defensive shares of Amada Cabbat and Ver Ang. The Riyadh Slashers team of Adolfo Bodo coached by Romy Baroso finally lose hope in getting this match especially when their key cagers Bert Villanueva, Rey Velasquez and Larry Lace committed their final fouls leaving nobody filling the vacuum left by them during the last crucial period of the final quarter, concluding this match in the Cash N Carry team advantage.
According to Rene C. Tapang, Sports Commissioner of this tournament, this remarkable event is being hosted by Sita Cargo Services in collaboration with 8th Contracting Est. through the generosity of Fikry Younan Andrawis, General Manager. The sponsors of this tournament are Power Horse Energy Drink, all the way through its Country Manager Herman Ritz and Ramon “Nonoy” Quema, Jr., TFC-Riyadh through Antonio Velo, Jr. - Country Manager, Al Bustan Ready Mix through Ramir A. Mariano, Rentar Restaurant, and Luzviminda Speed Sports located at Manila Plaza, Batha Area through the kindness of Roger Bajenting.
The Executive Committee of the Sita Cargo Services and 8th Contracting Est. Open Invitational Basketball Tournament include: Rene C. Tapang - Sports Commissioner with Emil Rentar as the Chairman/Treasurer and Sammy Cid as the Vice Chairman. Other officials are Sandy Rentar, Anthony Rauyana, Ed Tariman, Penn Mallen, Jing Zamudio, Rudy Amihan, Lito Mancilla, and Ernie Hernandez. The FCBR Referees are the officiating referees of this tournament.
On the same venue, the next games’ will be played first game between the D’Fire Bird Team and the Luzviminda Team while the second game will be played between the Shib Al Jazirah Team and the Cash N Carry Team at 9 a.m.
