DAMMAM: Pol Blanca’s Arcan pulled off another big win by beating Pathfinder 88-82 in overtime thriller to improve its record to 2-0 in non-rated division Friday at the Al Nahda sports club of the 1st PSASA-UFBF Fahd Alireza Basketball Tournament.

Fahd Alireza Engineering Consultants is the major sponsor of the ongoing tournament. Al Hoty Group of Companies, Mohd. Dossary Hospital, Eram Aluminum, Dobim International and ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel are co-sponsors.

Danilo Dula had another sterling performance scoring 19 points, nine in the last quarter when Arcan broke free from a 50-58 game at the half. Roy Oliver Tano added 14 points, Coolen Fernandez had 12 while Marvin Maniago had a double-double performance with 17 markers and 10 rebounds.

Coached by Archie Montecalbo, Arcan took the first quarter 22-19, but Pathfinder recovered and was up 38-31 at the turn on back-to-back threes of Anthony Cabotaje who wound up with 30 points, including 8 triples. Pathfinder enjoyed a barrage of threes from Cabotaje and was ahead 70-59 with 7:11 to go in the final period.

Cabotaje hit his last triple deep in the right corner for a 75-62 lead, 4:36 minutes left in the ballgame. But that proved useless as Arcan’s five delivered their full might with their trapping defense and full-court press built around a 10-2 run behind the heroics of Dula, Maniago and Tano who scored alternately to end that period tied at 77-77 on Apuyan and Tano’s split charities sending the match into overtime.

Maniago scored on a jumper to open the extra period and Apuyan hit a charity shot and another Maniago’s twinner made it 82-77, but Maniago fouled out with 2:43 left. Pathfinder tried desperately to catch up but lost steam at crunch time and lost big man Aldwyn De Jesus (12 points) and center Al Turki (9 points) to fouls in succession.

In another non-rated game, coach Renil Malobo’s Leytenos upended Worley Parson’s supremacy beating the latter by a big margin 90-74. With the loss, Worley placed second (3-1) behind current leader Al Khobar Kings (3-0).

The diminutive point guard, Mhec Sarabia, top-scored with 25 points and 3 steals while Jodefem Moralde added 15 points. Aldwin Santos, and Felyks Florendo each scored 13 points while Pines Ampong had 10. Worley’s power forward and top gunner Bernard Parrenas, who averages 21 points a game, only managed a measly 3 points in the first quarter and was held scoreless the rest of the game.

Leytenos fought valiantly from the opening salvo leading the first two quarters 26-11 and 41-34. But Worley’s George Guerzon (25 points) struck hard in the third period, fueling a decisive attack that gave coach Ruel Purihin a 63-62 lead to end the third period. Worley kept the lead entering the fourth with a couple of baskets from Eduard Sargento (15 points) and Guerzon until Leytenos’ Santos buried a trey and Moralde’s eight-footer tied the game 67-all.

With Sarabia’s quickness and excellent ball movement, Leytenos went on a 6-0 tear courtesy of Florendo, Orbita and Sarabia to take the lead back 79-71, 4:06 to go. The last three minutes all Leyteno as it scored 11 straight points to Worley’s three.

In other games, Cinnzeo defeated Eram 2, 87-77, Arabian Knights picked up their second win over Al Hugayet 69-56 and Al-Binali beat MSS-Al Mojil Supply & Services 74-70. ARCC-EEI beat Eram 1, 92-83, in premier division.