RIYADH: Sale for Distribution and Communication Company, Ltd. clinched the championship trophy while James Smith emerged the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the 6 feet & below category of the 22nd Annual Riyadh Inter-Hotels and Part 2 of the 15th Season Basketball fever in Riyadh at the Sheraton Riyadh Hotel & Towers rubberized basketball court, here.

The champion team, inspired by the presence and support of Nick Di Marzo, Andre Soriano & Sinawe Cali Mamao along with coaches Noel David & Renato Galeno won the best-of-three title series in a sweep, 87-72 game 2 scores over Cotabato team of Nasser & Noura Ponponan.

Both teams were cheerfully greeted by the crowd of spectators where Sale anchored by Paolo Malonzo, Smith, Sherwin Garcia, Jay Madrid and Jaime Hernandez closed the initial period with 12-6 but was quickly grabbed by Cotabato through the efforts of Opet Macalaba, Jaffar Laguindab, Ebok Pineda, Arnold Bansil and Aries Palmero to close the first half with 30-26 in their favor.

Coach Noel David instructed his ward to hold tight and successfully took to the driver’s seat via a 53-47 third canto end scores on their march to a 15-point margin of victory, 87-72. Sale won game one with 97-70 scores.

Earlier, Al Faisaliah of Rey Hagoriles and Gerry Donato took game one with 110-99 scores over defending champions Riyadh Marriott Hotel of Felias Batica and Loth Lomibao in the Inter-Hotel category.

Mitchel Campomanes who was in top form spearheaded the Faisaliah boyz with his game-high 32 points, ably supported by Archie Zabala, Nino Lauriaga, Jayson Lopera and Abdul Fattah to control the game from the beginning with 25-15, 45-40, 68-60, first three quarter scores. Marriott on the other hand with Bryan Lising, Choi Salman, Jericho Dela Cruz, Randy Pineda and Ed Manansala at center stage fought gallantly to the defense of their team shown by 9 deadlocks in the record and tied the scores with 89-89 all which opened the door to an extended period play.

At the end, Al Faisaliah clearly sent them the message that they were the better team in this series opener closing the curtain with 11 points advantage.

In the Inter-Company Bonafide B Category, Saudi Rocks of Rommel Jacinto and Coach Aref Aldaba prevailed over SABB team of Dante Ramones, Jun Pacheco and Michael Cahayagan during game one of the best-of-three title series.

It was a see-saw battle where towering Waleed Dirbass of SABB was checked by Saudi Rocks’ Dalmacio Dela Cruz and Adriano Ortega to control his moves in the center.

It was 25-19 first quarter scores for Saudi Rocks, 41-40 for SABB in the 2nd quarter and 59-57 for Saudi Rocks during the 3rd quarter that was made possible by the trio of Russel De Fiesta, Dela Cruz and Joseph Boco.

The final period was a tight defense and offense by both teams but Saudi Rocks proved their domination at the end. The final tally was 89-78. The knock-out game for the 3rd and 4th placing for the Inter-Company Bonafide B category saw BMTC won over Haif Company, 85-73 while IKEA of Tony Santos and Dodong Flores beat KUDU Corporation of Orly Casimero and Wowie Din, 100-86 in the 6 feet & below category.

Maged Berri, Sheraton Hotel, Director of Public Relations, distributed the prizes sponsored by Western Union and Sale Company.

The Award winners: Marlon Pening (IKEA) — Highest Scorer, Jaffar Laguindab (Cotabato) — Highest in Steal, Kenneth Din (KUDU) — Highest in Block Shots, Jhun Cortez (KUDU) — Highest in Assists, Arthur Herrera (KUDU) — Highest in 3 Points and Arnold Bansil (Cotabato) — Highest in Rebounds. Other awardees were: Paulo Malonzo (Sale) – Most Disciplined Player, Noel David (Sale) – Best Coach, Andre Soriano (Sale) – Best Team Manager and IKEA Team – Most Sportsmanship Team. Members of the Mythical Five were Ebok Pineda (Cotabato) & Marlon Pening (IKEA) Best Guards, Sherwin Garcia (Sale) & James Smith (Sale) Best Forwards and Arnold Bansil (Cotabato) Best Center. Jhun Cortez of the KUDU Corporation team was named Rookie of the League. KUDU Corporation team was 3rd runner-up, IKEA team secured the 2nd runner-up while Cotabato team finished 1st runner-up and Sale Company clinched the foremost championship crown.

Scores: Game 2 Sale Company (87): J. Smith 25, P. Malonzo 24, S. Garcia 22, J. Madrid 8, J. Hernandez 4, V. Quintal 2 & A. Aguinaldo 2. Cotabato (72): O. Macalaba 13, J. Laguindab 11, A. Bansil 10, M. Mallari 10, A. Palmero 10, R. Tacorda 6, E. Pineda 6, D. Vallejo 4 & J. Salac 2. Refs: Ernie dela Cruz, Mohamad Villamena and Joel Villania Game 1 Sale Company (97): J. Smith 29, P. Malonzo 21, S. Garcia 20, J. Hernandez 12, J. Madrid 5, V. Quintal 4, N. Buleg 4 & A. Aguinaldo 2 Cotabato (70): M. Mallari 26, E. Pineda 14, R. Tacorda 10, O. Macalaba 8, J. Laguindab 4, A. Bansil 4, D. Vallejo 2 & A. Palmero 2. Refs: Ernie dela Cruz, Raul Aragon and Joel Villania Game 1 Al Faisaliah (110): M. Campomanes 32, A. Zabala 25, J. Lopera 21, N. Lauriaga 15, A. Fattah 8, M. Sanchez 5, M. Azurin 2 & A. Coral 2. Marriott (99): B. Lising 39, C. Salman 23, J. Dela Cruz 20, R. Pineda 10, M. Jimenez 6 & E. Manansala 1. Refs: Ernie dela Cruz, Mohamad Villamena and Joel Villania Game 1 Saudi Rocks (89): R. De Fiesta 33, D. Dela Cruz 21, J. Boco 17, J. Dela Pena 10, R. Jacinto 6 & A. Ortega 2. SAAB. (78): N. Cabadonga 20, J. Palce 19, W. Dirbass 18, R. Eleazar 7, R. Abarca 6, P. Composagrado 4 & L. Fernandez 4. Refs: Ernie dela Cruz, Mohamad Villamena and Joel Villania BMTC (85): J. Hernandez 45, E. Serna 15, R. Ferrer 8, D. Garcia 7, A. Galang 4, J. David 4 & J. Cruz 2. Haif Company (73): D. Manalaysay 20, O. Macalaba 15, J. Jusay 10, M. Vales 9, O. Hernandez 9, RC. Caballero 3, JR. Vales 2 & R. Figuración 2. Refs: Ernie dela Cruz and Khalid Ed Tamayo IKEA (100): M. Pening 33, L. Gonzales 20, N. Lauriaga 19, C. Asis 16, I. Gobres 7, J. Delfín 4 & P. Bingayan 2. KUDU (86): A. Herrera 21, J. Cortez 14, J. Sagun 14, J. Moreles 10, J. Morales 8, R. Abrigo 6, K. Din 4, J. Ferrer 4, C. Toledo 3 & R. Manalo 2. Refs: Ernie dela Cruz and Khalid Ed Tamayo.