JEDDAH, 3 May — Now only in its second week, the ongoing 6th Seiko-FBA Independence Cup 2002 gaining momentum as more than a thousand of basketball aficionados trooped to the Sheraton compound basketball court to witness the ongoing games organized by FBA and principally sponsored by Al-Hussaini & Co. (Distributor of Seiko watches in Saudi Arabia) and represented by Hussam S. Salahi. Sixteen teams out of 28 participating teams played last week with Saudi Oger mentored by Alex Montemayor beating the host team Seiko-Al Badr Hotel led by Dindo Garces in their first encounter (68-59). SBG-RPD of Anwar Hafez and Fheling Manese defeated Southern Can Making Company (SCMC) of Philipp Pannell and Rolly Sevandra with a score of 76-67 in favor of SBG-RPD. Last Thursday’s games resulted to Southern Can Making Company winning over Dr. Erfan Bagedo Hospital by default when the latter was not able to make it on time. (TFC) The Filipino Channel led by AJ Marcelino vowed to the newly-organized team (Ultra Services) of Darwin (Jingo Sia) by a slim margin of only six points (81-75) in their thrilling encounter. Topping the scoring list were Campomanes 15, Bon 14 & Nava 12. In the meantime, newcomer Lays (Saudi Snack Foods) team of Chris Rimorin and Larry Dominguez overcame the tirades and the forcefull effort employed by Kodak Express up to the dying minutes of the game. With exactly 1:46 seconds remaining, Kodak Express with acting coach Rhic Briones directing the play missed the very important opportunities to win the game and bring home the bacon. With less than a minute left, Jamahali of the Lays team grabbed the ball from Rey Buhat and sanked a three point shot from the trey and won the upperhand. The game ended with a final count of 68-63 in favor of Lays. Jun Mabarit, Walid, Abbas and Jamahali top scored for their team.

Meanwhile, SBG-RPD posted their second straight victory at the expense of another newcomer Alwan Est. led by Bong Lingad and Omeng Labrias (85-57). SBG-RPD deputy manager Fahad Rustom congratulated his boys for the job well done. Manarang, Reda, Lingad and Pullido scored well for their team. Hanco Maintenance of Brown Douglas and Jun Nieva walloped King Faisal Naval Base (KFNB) of veteran coach Noel (Jawo) Atienza in a lopsided game (94-67). Estrada and Lacson have contributed a total of 60 points in the game. (38 pts. for Estrada and 28 pts. by Lacson). The solid team of Jeddah Cable Company led by Mahmoud Protacio as coach has again proven their versatility in basketball when they turned the tables over Yayhya Al-Ittihath’s Marhaba Supermarket (104-71) for their first taste of honey. Rongavilla and Tato top scored for Jeddah Cable and Saleh Madhoun, president of Jeddah Cable Company, congratulated them. On Friday’s final encounter, early-favorites CITB (Cairo International Travel Bureau) of Resty Mercado and Bert Nulud vowed to the veteran squad of Watani (Green Farms) with the final score of 88-71. A huge crowd of more than one thousand basketball spectators stood fat and waited for the last scheduled game that started at 10:45 p.m. wanting to see Alvin Serrano of Saudi Oger Co. Ltd. play with the rated team of the Capampangan Group (CITB). Serrano almost made his team win the game because CITB led all the way from the beginning up to the remaining five minutes. But the concerted efforts of Watani (Green Farms) mainstays Roger Pineda, Abril Mabarit, Leo Almoite and Aaron Mayo paid off when they led up to seven points with still 2:45 seconds left. Their lead and hold in the game became more evident when Elmer Esguerra, (a veteran senior player who was absent in Jeddah for quite a long time and now again in town actively playing basketball) fouled out leaving only Alvin Serrano who made 40 points, Nalus, Concepcion, Sunga and Haj at the saddle.

Other companies supporting this event are: Al-Rabie Dairy Co. Ltd (Pulz Athletics Drink) through Hamdi H.U. Usmani, Sabil Al-Khair Services & Marketing Co., Ltd. (Fuzail Ahmed) -distributor of Completa Coffee Creamer & Rainbow Milk, Metito Arabia Industries (Nort Areglado), ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel, Al Injazat Trading Corporation (NIVEA), Sigma Paints (Paul Kersey & Dannie Quiambao), Royal Brunei (Yousef Ali Javed), Giordano Fashions (M.A.K. Jeelani), Jizan Marad (Panther).