Every time the Eid holidays roll around basketball fans in Jeddah get to see name players from Riyadh or Dammam in the flesh in a regional event or what passes for one.
This year is no exception as the Liga Pinoy in cooperation with WPBL stages a two-day exhibition featuring exciting new young players from Riyadh, which starts Thursday at 5 p.m. with the opening ceremony followed by parade of teams and opening day games at Ahma Khaki Sports Complex (Orca).
Dubbed Beat the Best, an Eid Al-Fitr celebration, the event will have a new spin in that volleyball games have been inserted in the schedule.
This is the first time volleyball was included, attracting four teams namely Runbirds Filipino volleyball team, Centrepoint of Oscar Pimentel, Mico of Munai vollleyball selection and Riyadh Maranao selection.
A built-in audience is expected for this exhibition with supporters of two teams playing the preliminaries, KFAFH Selection of Marie Swanepoel coached by Albert Vicare and ALJ Toyota Selection of coach Camelo Melendez and Noel Sun, set to turn out and root for KFAFH and Toyota.
Except for shooting guard Raymond Alcasabas all the players of the visiting Lanao-Leyte Warriors team are coming for the first time to Jeddah.
The Riyadh delegation headed by team manager Don Don Patara and head coach Louie M. Mulles will arrive 8 a.m. Thursday. After arrival they will go on a mall tour in Balad and Sarawat, according to Liga Pinoy Commissioner James Roxas.
The players to watch are 6-foot-2 power forward Jamil Acraman, formerly PCU Dolphins like Robby David and his teammate at Happee Toothpaste in the PBL, and a pair of 6-foot-4s swing man John Howard Pantonia and center John Paul Loreno.
Pantonia has had college ball experience having played for San Sebastian College Recoletos de Cavite like the Alcasabas brothers Raymond and Rommel, Recardo Gracillia and Don Michael Manuel.
To face the Warriors in a two-game series is the Friendster team of Cris Melebo, which will be out to have the trophy stay in Jeddah. Veteran bench tactician Amang Catador is the head coach with Alain Ng as assistant coach.
LBC Express Inc. is the major sponsor. The minor sponsors are Toyota, Mobily Globe, CEO & X Perfume of Rannie Basanta, Samsung through Muhaid Osman, promotion and development manager, Alicafé, Uncle Majid’s rice and toppings, a newly opened restaurant in Faisaliah near Erfan Hospital, and Dole of Multibrands Al Ghadeer Al Arabia of Sheikh Jamal.
Beat the Best exhibition basketball starts today
