DAMMAM: The Western Union Basketball League 2009 UFSA-11th Season 1st Conference at the Industrial City successfully ended with Fifteen Thirty claiming the championship crown in the Open League Division.
Fifteen Thirty defeated Bin Quraya-A 93-86 at the Sadip Co. court for a sweep of the best-of-three championship series. Marlon Valdez led the Fifteen Thirty charge with 32 points. Carlos Venias added 23 points, Jun Derama had 15 and Neil Aclan contributed 11 points.
Jun Rey Navarro led Bin Quraya’s losing effort with 27 points.
The Inter-Company A Division title went to Rawabi, which downed Al-Arabi 93-87 in the title series decider, as Valdez, suiting up for his second championship game, top-scored with 42 points to go with 22 by Cherie Orbeta and 13 by Aldwin Santos. For Al-Arabi, Paulo Luis and Mike Lontoc tallied 25 and 23 points.
Desert Heat, led by Bunso Venias and Noel Postrano each with 26 points, clinched the Inter-Company B division crown after beating Al-Faisal 83-62 in the third game of the championship playoffs. Ronnie Origen led Al-Faisal with 18 points, while Roy and Rey Ortiz had identical 13 points. The tournament concluded with the awards ceremony.
Named MVPs were Valdez in the Open League and Inter-Company A and Roel Postrado in the Inter-Company B Division. Carlos Venias of Fifteen Thirty and Desert Heat was named Best Coach in the Open League and Inter-Company B Division and Rawabi’s Jaylee Regulacion in the Inter-Company Division.
UFSA Commissioner Abdul Aziz “Jawo” Dizon thanked the teams and sponsors for helping make the league a success. Toto Iremedio is the UFSA director general. Western Union is the major sponsor of this tournament. The co-sponsors are Springs Company Ltd., Sadip Company Ltd. an Sky Freight Forwarders.
