JEDDAH, 16 November — Taiwan Sports, Saudi Paper Cups, Al-Tayar, and Reza
Investments, took the top slots in their respective categories going into the semifinals round of the 11th PEBA-New Balance Basketball Tournament at the Industrial City area.
Al-Tayar is the leader in the Inter-Company Bona Fide, Strong Division (Group A) while Taiwan Sports are lording over Group B. Reza Investments is the leader of Inter-Company, Weak Division (Group A), and Saudi Paper Cups is on top team in the Group B. By taking the top spots in their respective divisions, the teams mentioned earlier has the luxury of facing the weakest team (team number 4) in their brackets in the semifinal rounds.
Healthlines Sports, the distributor of New Balance shoes in the Kingdom, is the main sponsor of the 11th PEBA-New Balance Basketball Tournament. Minor sponsors include Papa John’s Restaurant, Pinoy Sports, Singapore Airlines, Al-Ain Water, CMS Express International Services, Pepsi, Farnas Cargo, Tropicana Restaurant, Al-Hussaini Company (distributor of Seiko watches), Hempel Paints, Saudi Paper Cups Company, Jamjoom Foremost Dairy Company, Al-Hejaz Air & Sea Cargo, Felora Cargo and Freight Services, Achievers International School, Jeddah, and Bassamh Trading. In a game that was meant to send a strong statement to other pretenders to the crown, Al-Tayar blasted Jeddah Cable/Al-Ghomri 103-84. Principal character in the overpowering victory was Abril Mabarit who scored 42 points including eight triples.
First half of the game was close, ending at 52-49 in favor of Al-Tayar. The game was a sort of two-on-two duel as Abril Mabarit and L. Lumactud of Al-Tear carried their team by scoring and 19 and 15 points respectively, while Rongavilla and Tato tried to keep the game close by scoring 16 and 10 points apiece. But in the second half, Al-Tear broke the game wide open as Mabarit poured in 23 points to the delight of the crowd. With such an overpowering performance, some kibitzers were overheard as saying that Abril Mabarit is making the Industrial City league as his personal playground. So potent was Al-Tayar’s attack that only one of the 12 players fielded by playing coach Jun Mabarit failed to score a basket. Aside from Abril, L. Lumactud amassed 19 points, with Jun Mabarit netting 13 points. As a consolation to the losers, Rongavilla finished with 22 points, with Tabia and Tato contributing 14 and 12 points.
Reza Investments, seeking to retain the diadem they won last year by outclassing possible rival Alupco 79-75. Ostonal led Reza Investment’s charges with 22 points, and had a lot of help from Encilla who had 13 points, and Viscayno who scattered 12 points. The hard fighting Alupco team had the hardworking Melchor scoring 28 points, Evangelista with 15 points and Nunez who contributed 11 points.
In other games, Taiwan Sports 72 - Tejada 29, Belarmino 10, A. Mabarit 6, Naral 6, J. Mabarit 5, Quinito 5, Malinao 2, Tato 2, Trimillos 2. Pinoy Sports 62 - Almoite 15, Centeno 14, Campo 7, Calvadores 6, Similla 5, Nicolas 3, Uayan 2, Calso 2, Duque 2, Salvador 2. Almutlaq 63 - Robles 20, Mendoza 16, Ochoco 12, Balboa 10, David 2, Pangilinan 2. Mitsubishi Lancer 44 - Calayag 7, Banayo 5, Tayag 5, Dasigan 4, Mandawe 4, Gonzalez 4, Abalos 4, Austria 4, Hondolero 3, Mato 2. Al-Tear (Weak) 53 - Saludes 15, Arboleda 12, Gepiga 8, Portales 8, Pilapil 7, Patron 3, Corbillon 2. Alupco 52 - Melchor 25, Evangelista 8, Maravilla 5, Ortueste 5, Nunez 3, Perlas 3, Muega 3.
