DAMMAM, 9 April 2004 — Sigma Paints poured everything it got in the final quarter and blasted National Pipe Company, 69-61, in a highly physical match in the premier category of the prestigious Eastern Province Basketball League at the Al-Ettifaq Club.
Sigma Paints started to find their rhythm in the second quarter when Mon Hernandez sank a triple from way out. NPC’s Edgard Bucalin retaliated with a triple in a bid to stop Sigma’s scoring barrage but Omar Asmad and Albert Arenoy pounded the lane.
Pipemakers suffered its first defeat in four games in this tournament sponsored by AND1 and Phuket Restaurant. Sigma and NPC are tied for first with a 3-1 win-loss slate. The Mavericks bounced back from two dismal losses at the hands of the league-leading NPC five and Sigma, this time drubbing the undermanned STTB Cargo, 90-71.
The explosive inside plays of newcomer, Abdul Aziz, carried the Mavericks throughout the lopsided match.
He topped scorers with 34 points while Jun Espino contributed 18 points. Al Mouwasat Hospital Tigers fortified its championship hopes as Peter Fainsan’s boys recorded a come-from-behind win over their erstwhile tormentors, Saudi Ready Mix 102-99.
The Tigers remained at striking distance throughout the match trailing by as much as 10 points in some occasions but slowly climbed into the lead after Mixer starters Rolly Bisda, Darwin Tuazon and Jayson Agcamaran fouled out in succession starting from the final 6 minutes of play.
Snor Manabilang paced the Tigers with 32 points while lanky forward Joey Julaton added 17 markers and 12 caroms.
In Division II, Dammam Kings continued their unbeaten run after downing Dammam Hunks with a thrilling 88-85 overtime win. Down at 72-75, with 15 seconds left, Hunks Ma-ago made a buzzer beater from the beyond the arc sending the game into overtime.
In another match-up, Noel Guila led K. R. Bouhaymed Est in a win over newcomer Middle East Battery Company, 67-50.
Earlier, Dammam Kings beat Sharbatly, 69-67, in brawled match. With just over one minute left a fistfight between Kings’ Louie Delos Reyes and Sharbatly’s Rey De Dios erupted.
Ervin Bayona, who was at the bench, raced to his pal’s rescue and hit De Dios in the head. Game officials led by EPBL Advisor, Rashed Al-Hetlan, quickly intervened and put the melee under control.
The three players involved were ejected and automatically received suspensions. In a follow-up interview with the game’s technical committee, chairperson Alexis Dela Reyna confirmed a five-game suspension for Delos Reyes, 3 games for De Dios, while Bayona metted a two-conference suspension.
Saudi Steel Pipe (SSP) and Tamimi Markets dominate in the Inter-company Division. SSP topped the team standing with 2-1 win-loss while Tamimi recorded 2-2 win-loss.
In a match between SSP and Astra Polymers, SSP’s Lecuano Asim sent-off. Astra Polymers took control in the third quarter 56-46, but SSP regained its momentum in the final quarter and won 76-68.
Conversely, Tamimi Markets won by one point in a neck-to-neck battle with Panda Supermarket, 65-64. Tamimi’s Dizon scored 29 points while the scoring machine of Panda Rhamudin got 19 points.
