Bin Quraya, RRJM, MEBCO and Marvels are UFBF champions

For second straight time, Ed David’s Bin Quraya bagged the championship trophy in Inter-Company A beating King Abdulaziz Squadron 99-89 in the 13th UFBF FAEC Eastern Oilers Cup baskestball tournament.
And for second straight time, too, sweet shooting and season’s leading scorer Mark Gaddi Vergara captured the finals MVP award with 23 points while his teammate and former AMACom Ryan “Cocoy” Onella shared the limelight as the conference MVP with 9 points.
However, it was Noel Almodovar who shone the brightest in the game with his signature fade-away shots and finished with 31 points. He almost beat Onella and Vergara in the MVP race were it not for his two missed games in the elimination.
Another MVP hopeful, Ernesto Jadorimo, played consistently and added 14 markers while Nicofort David contributed 16 points and point guard Ulymar Pedericos added 4 for Quraya.
Bin Quraya was unbeaten and had twice-to-beat edge in the finals
Fahd Alireza Engineering Consultants is the tournament major sponsor. Al Hoty Group of Companies, Mohd. Dossary Hospital, 7-11 and Mega Construction are minor sponsors.
Quraya’s five dictated the tempo from the opening salvo with Onella drawing first blood with a layup shot followed by Vergara’s 3-pointer. Quraya led the first quarter 31-21 and was up 60-48 at the half.
Playing no mercy basketball, Quraya never gave Squadron any chance leading by as much as 14 points, 79-65 at the end of the third quarter.
Six-foot-four Anthony Perez and Joel Beado led Squadron with 22 and 21 points respectively but Quraya was simply too good with coach Noli Policarpio at the helm.
Quraya’s Vergara, Onella and Jadorimo and Squadron’s Perez and Beado were named in the mythical five.
Meanwhile, it was sweet revenge for RRJM as it beat tormentor MEGA Construction 92-88 to claim the Junior D-4 title.
It was a battle of smaller but faster RRJM tandem of Ralph Tablang (44 points) and Johnnel Cabuyao (20 points) against the more experienced and veterans Allan Butito (45 points) and Johnny Malate (15 points).
RRJM’s Tablang, Cabuyao and Edwin Villegas and Mega’s Butito and Keith Morabe comprised the mythical five selection while Mega’s Faisal Rene Muniz Ombayan was named Best Team Manager. Tablang ws the MVP.
Bong Base’s Marvels-1 defeated AFI 96-89 for the Junior D-3 championship trophy.
It was Marvels’ first-ever title after four tumultuous seasons having been beaten in earlier rounds. Arnold Arguilles led Marvels with 34 points and 12 rebounds, Jeff Alvarado had 22 points, Jay-r Villareal added 14 and had 10 rebounds while Arnelo Olila had 8 points.
AFI’s Oliver Gonzales, who averages 24 points per game, made 20 points while teammates Rod Layman had 17, Wilson Africa added 16 and Rommel Cornejo 13 points.
Villareal was adjudged MVP. He was also in the mythical five alongside Arguilles and Mackoy Rivera (Marvels) and Oliver Gonzales and Roy Layman (AFI).
MEBCO downed depleted Gubat 92-71 for Junior D-5 title. Majid top-scored for MEBCO with 30 points while MVP awardee Philip Chacon had 21 markers. JC Desacado added 13 while Ricky Opiso and Rodel Rosas each had 11 points. MEBCO’s Majid, Chacon and Opiso and Gubat’s John Alfo and John Lazaro are the mythical five players.
Meanwhile, three strong contenders were beaten in their respective divisions. ARCC beat former champions FAEC 74-58 in Division A and will face the twice-to-beat Jologs in the finals.
Al Osais surprised the twice-to-beat JGC Samurai 61-57 in Inter-Company B division forcing a rubber match Friday for the championship. Playing without its main man – Blair Bracamonte — who was sidelined by an injury, Al Osais applied a man-to-man defense in the last quarter forcing JGC to a lot of turnovers.
FAEC won over the twice-to-beat Al Hoty Stanger 89-73 forcing Game 2 in Junior D-2 finals. Ace guard Michael Juanite, last conference’s MVP, finished with 21 points for FAEC.
Teammates Mansour Al Mansooro added 14, Anthony Bonifacio 11, Arnold Arguilles 10, William Gonzales 9, Jeff Baluyot 6 and the most controversial player in this division, JC Cayanan, only had 3 points.