FAEC, Rawabi, Aurion, Metals bag titles in UFBF tournament

ALKHOBAR: Fahd Alireza Engineering Consultants (FAEC) beat defending champion Al Hoty Stanger 89-76 to bag the Junior DD Division championship title in the 12th UFBF Fahd Alireza Engineering Consultants basketball tournament last week at the Al Qadisia sports club here.
A combination of wit and strategy paid off for coach Ariel Julio who turned to his big men, Jay C Cayanan and Jeff Baluyot, in the last quarter for the offensive rebounds and big points in the paint beating Hoty’s Tanduyan and Villareal.
FAEC is the tournament’s major sponsor. Al Hoty Group of Companies, and Mohammad Dossary Hospital are minor sponsors.
Showing why he’s the MVP, Michael Juanite showed his speed and flexibility in directing the plays that often set up Cayanan and Baluyot for open baskets. Cayanan and Baluyot scored 17 and 13 points respectively while Juanite made 16 markers for FAEC. Mansoor Al Mansoor added 14 points and Anthony Bonifacio 13.
FAEC led the first quarter 18-14 and never allowed Hoty to recover as they still led 36-31 to end the first half.
Playing without its legitimate point guard, Jerome Lazaro, Hoty seemed to lack intensity and eventually lost control to trail by 12 points 48-60 at third quarter end.
FAEC continued to play smart basketball by outscoring Hoty in the last quarter leading by as much as 14 points with 3:17 left in the game behind Baluyot, Juanite, Cayanan, Bonifacio and Mansoor.
Hoty closed in at 75-81 with a minute left in the last quarter but could not overcome FAEC’s five with Mansoor hitting the three that finally sealed the victory.
Juanite was named MVP and was also in the mythical five along with Bonifacio and Mansoor (FAEC), Eric Tanduyan and Rey Borilla (Hoty).
In another championship game, Rawabi Holdings beat Gubat 82-79 to claim the Junior Division DB trophy. Rookie Jayjay Cabasag Rawabi with 29 points enough to earn him the MVP award and a spot in the mythical five along with teammates Wilfredo Ongtingco (16 points) and Aldwin Santos (5 points) and Gubat’s Raffy Golez (23 points) and John Alipo (10 points).
Leo Gines’ Aurion team won the trophy for Junior Division DC battle-of-the-champions beating another champion Kolokoy Kings 85-71.
Finishing the elimination round undefeated and earlier awarded with a championship trophy that made this division unique from the rest, Aurion five was all charged-up playing with great resolve and tremendous teamwork to beat Kolokoy in a match that was dominated mostly by the bigger lineup of Aurion featuring the likes of Ireneo Racacho, Ryan Verzosa, Nuguit and Castillano.
With Aurion’s ace guard Rojohn Flores at the helm, Kolokoy had to settle for the runner-up trophy after winning the Division DC the previous week over AFI 94-69.
Flores, with 14 points, was adjudged the MVP. With Flores in the mythical five were Racacho (23 points) and Castillano (10 points) and Noel Almodovar (18 points) and Arnold Arguelles (19 points) of Kolokoy team.
Metals Services beat Al Hoty Co. Ltd. 123-92, to lift the Inter-Company Division B title.
Rodante Luete had a marvelous performance of 29 points while his co-starters — Roy Mamalateo, Alvin Fernandez and Darwin Lorena — all in double figures. Luete was the finals MVP. Joining Luete in the mythical five were Mamalateo and Lorena (Metals) and Arnold Haloc and Nelson Sambahon (Hoty).
The UFBF executive committee would like to thank the sponsors for helping make the tournament a big success.
Meantime, the 13th UFBF tournament is tentatively set to open first week of December at the Al Qadisia Sports Gymnasium. Interested teams may contact the following UFBF officers: Resty de Asis (0568514684), Mel Thaib Globio (0502953368), Noni Mahilum (0542031356), Rene Manlulu (0598407424) and Rene Madayag.