RIYADH, 4 January 2007 — RBC Patriots made history when they won the championship crown in the Seiko Thursday Night Bowling League 13th Conference to become the last team to win a tournament at Riyadh Bowling Club lanes.
The Rabwah lanes are to be torn down to give way to the new building that will house a state-of-the-art bowling facility. The construction will take at least one year to finish, leaving the organizing RTBC (Riyadh Tenpin Bowlers Coalition) without a home and forcing the group to shift their ongoing and upcoming tournaments to another venue.
But first to be shattered to pieces before the building demolition were the title hopes of D’ Beaver’s who got beat in their two head-to-head matches with eventual champions Patriots.
Ahead by the slimmest margin of .5 point, the Patriots won the semifinal 10-7 and final 10-9 match-ups against D’ Beaver’s to retain the title in the five-man team league event sponsored by Al-Hussaini & Al-Yahya Trading Company (Seiko), through its General Manager Ali Abdul Mohsen Al-Ammash and Riyadh Sales Manager Faisal Al-Dulli.
Ely Fanugao and Ding Balagtas underlined the Patriots’ domination that D’ Beaver’s only briefly challenged by winning the MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards in Division 1 and Division 2.
And Fanugao upheld his reputation as one of the most accomplished bowlers at RBC when he won the Elite Bowlers Showdown. Fanugao had a winning total of 1,080 points in five games with Boy Mirando coming first runner-up at 1,065 and Art Yukong second runner-up at 1,032.
Fidel Ferrer of Cool Runnings ruled the Tough Bowlers Showdown, hitting a five-game series of 1,009. Jojo Gabriel was first runner-up at 995 and Ronald Bautista second runner-up at 987.
The Elite and Tough Bowlers champions each received a Seiko wristwatch, trophy and cash prize while the first and second runners-up each took home a trophy and cash prize during the awards ceremony on Sunday that concluded the 22 weeks tournament.
In a thrilling finale D’ Beaver’s narrowed the gap on the Patriots with a strong middle games. But that was all they could do as the Patriots applied the coup de grace with a sweep of the 3 points on offer in the fourth and final game.
Balagtas was the RBC’s main man with 815 pinfalls in the final match. Zaldy Torres returned 791. Skipper Mike Mangubat and Fanugao had matching 787s and Joel Batolina added 773. Sammy San Juan and Henry Pablo complete the team lineup.
PSU of Saud Egil took the third position, beating Schneider Electric 9-4 (3,639-3,569) in the final. Both teams drew 9-9 in the semifinal. Lino San Juan was the Division 3 MVP and Most Improved Player, finishing with an average of 172.98 from an entering average of 157 for a rise of 15.9 points.
The league achievers are as follows:
Individual — Boy Mirando (Schneider Electric) high game scratch 278, Rey Andaya (Schneider Electric) high game with handicap 289, Marvin Arocena (Scneider Electric) high series scratch 925, Alex Paguila (Invaders) high series with handicap 962
Team — RBC Patriots high game scratch 1,114 high game with handicap 1,126 and high series scratch 4,095, Schneider Electric high series with handicap 4,150
Final team standings:
1. RBC Patriots 210.5 2. D’ Beaver’s 206.0 3. PSU 202.0 4. Schneider Electric 191.0 5. Cool Runnings 174.0 6. Invaders 160.5 7. Bowl Fanatics 112.0 8. MBAP 139.0 9. Bowl Friends 112.0 10. Hoi Int’l 82.0.
