JEDDAH: Thirty-six teams, one of the largest to participate in organized basketball in Jeddah, are seeing action in the 3rd Filsama Basketball League Open Conference, which starts on Friday at the Jeddah Sports Academy basketball court on Thalia corner Sitteen Street.
Pattaya Restaurant will be back to defend its title in the Open Rated A Division against six well-credentialed teams including two foreign squads.
Also looking to repeat are WRJ Cargo-Carling Sports Goods in the Open Rated C Division and Islamiah in the Inter-Company Non Rated Division.
FBL Commissioner Abdulmoen “Teng” Laguialam said a new category, All Muslim Filipino Division, has been added to the tournament and 10 teams entered in a very encouraging start.
Like the past two stagings of FBL there will be four category championships to be contested. The Inter-Hospital has been shelved this time to make way for the All Muslim Division, according to Laguialam.
The breakdown of the number of teams in each division are: seven each in the Open Rated A and Open Rated C Division, 10 in All Muslim Filipino Division and 12 in Inter-Company Non-Rated Division.
Labor Attache Vicente Cabe has been invited as the chief guest during the opening ceremony starting at 4:30 p.m. Joining Cabe in the list of VIP guests are Mohamad Bayoumi, a friend of the Filipino community and recipient of the prestigious Banaag Presidential Award, Essam Al Khaldi, Mohsin Abu Sulthan Al Khaldi, Lowell Plameras of Media Brokers-Western Union, Robert Constantino of ANB- PNB and community leaders Johari Usman and Rudy Dianalan.
With Laguialam in the committee are: Assistant Commissioner Boy Raras, Secretary General Leonard Nucum, Treasurer Rene Valle, and Technical Director Manny Manalo. The table officials are Jun Montebon, Abdullah Portillo, Gilbert Chiong, and Manny Bandon with Majid Laguialam as scorer and Willy Cartajena as play-by-play announcer. Sammy Bongcarawan, Ali and Tha are the marshals.
To handle the tournament officiating is the BOG (Basketball Officials Group) of Jun Lansang and Wagner.
Filsama advisers Wilson Maata, Ruben Villarosa and Gary Santos, Filsama vice-president internal, are FBL tournament consultants.
The FBL 3rd Conference is being held in cooperation with Jeddah Sports Academy.
The teams:
Open Rated A Division: Pattaya Restaurant, Semacs, Unilever, RJM Friendsterm Egypt Team, Zenith, Shams
Open Rated C Division: WRJ Cargo-Carling Sports Goods, Al Zugbi, IDB-Marantao, M.O.G, Luna, Lanao Lakers, Solid South
All Muslim Filipino Division: Al Khaira, Sultan Kudarat, Pagadian, Cotabato, Tubaran, Sibuko, Al Salam, Madalom, X-Rules, Taif
Inter-Company Non Rated: ASAS-Friendster, Jamjoom Pharma, M.O.P, La Parilla Rest., Jollibee, Dabarkads, I.M.C, Mohap, Cotabato, Islamiah, Jeddah Kickers, Zahid Tractor
