JEDDAH, 20 February 2004 — The Filipino Basketball Association (FBA) and the Al Ittihad Sports Club reached an agreement to hold the 10th Seiko-18th FBA Basketball Tournament from March 5 to June 4, 2004. The tourney will be sponsored by Al-Hussaini & Co. (Seiko), headed by Abdul Rahman Al-Hussaini through Hussam S. Salahi (marketing & sales manager) and Mohd. Ali Taleb.
According to the FBA President Gil Manese, three officials of Seiko Watch Corporation, Japan, were in Jeddah recently for the signing of the sponsorship of the event. They were Kimiharu Suenaga (senior marketing manager), Norihito Sakama (senior merchandising manager) and Munshisa Shibasaki (marketing manager of Dubai office).
Twenty-nine teams will be participating in the tourney that also has the support of United Matbouli Group (Samsung Electronics) through Sheikh Adnan Matbouli, Khalid Hussain Mohammed and Essam Abbas, Alireza Holding Co. (Tokyo Games), ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel, Power Horse Energy Drink, Metito Arabia Industries, Nivea, Pepsi Cola, Royal Brunei, Giordano Fashions, SkyFreight Forwarders, Mega Top Express Cargo, Junastar Cargo Services, WRJ Freight Forwarders, Calson Management Services, Tropicana Restaurant, Ay Sarap Restaurant and Sports World Tailoring.
The participating companies are as follows:
Saudi Oger Co., Ltd. “Hanco Maintenance, Fedex, ABS-CBN-TFC, Saudi Archiridron (SARCO), Saudi Hi-Tech., Y. M.Naghi and SACO for Hardware for the Inter-Company Bona fide Division.
The Inter-Company Bona fide Reinforced Division will have SPS-Kodak Express, Friday Club, CaffeeAroma, Unilever-S.A (Close-Up), Wartsila Lions, Sharbatly Corporation and Lube Ref Jeddah.
The Inter-Hotel & Hospital Division will include Seiko-Marriott Hotel Jeddah, Westin Jeddah, Jeddah Hilton, Crowne Plaza, King Fahad Armed Forces Hospital-Citroen and ALJ Rehab Hospital.
The fourth division will be for the various departments of Zahid Tractor headed by Naser Bayram, Rollie Villanueva and Ed Santos. TVD Terminators, CMD 1-Warriors, The Cat Rental Store (Knights)/Remarketing, CMD Service, PMD Wolfhounds and IT-Hackers.
The main attraction of the tournament is the equally divided teams of Jeddah Selection that will be handled by the veteran coaches of Jeddah, Boy Corsega and Johnny Magalang. Team A includes Alvin Serrano, Dindo Garces, Mandy Huerto, April Mabarit, Aaron Mayo, Ric Belarmino, Arnold Batarao, Jun Mabarit, Eric Mabarit, Nap Solis, Ardeen Atienza and Lando Malinao. Team B players are Dante Rivero, Jhong Rapada, John Gatchalian, Leo Almoite, Omeng Sahagun, Pat Cecilio, Shawi Sharif, Buboy Rapada, Barry Nader, Erwin Arquero, Rey Buhat and Allen Ng.
Other members of the organizing committee are Lando Sanrelices, Edwin Tulah, Mike Maulana and Teng Aglialam. Officiating will be handled by the FBA Officiating Group (FBAOG) Danny Gulapa, Omeng Labrias, Danny Ramos, Elmer Balaguer, Zaldy Zeta, Steve and Ric.
