JEDDAH, 3 May — Young but seasoned Filipino basketball headliners Aaron Mayo and Roland Centeno proved their worth over and again. They came up with the Most Valuable Player award in their respective divisions of the recently concluded United Yousef Naghi Open Basketball Classic at the Hafil court in Jeddah.
The three-month basketball event is exclusively sponsored by United Yousef Naghi Electronics Division, the distributors of Nardi, Philips, Fogoes Meireles, LG and Ariston electronics and home appliances in the Kingdom. Organized and managed by the Mindanao Federation Basketball Association, the event was held under the auspices of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, with the Jeddah Officiating Group handling the officiating chores.
Mayo and Centeno, who happened to be both assets of the Ilocanos, were the primary catalysts in lifting their teams to the championship. United Naghi claimed its fourth inter-company bona fide title and neophyte BISA Solid North tasted its first inter-company open championship glory. Aside from the MVP and Mythical Five awards, Mayo and Centeno also bested their respective teammates in scoring thereby claiming the individual highest scorer awards.
As a token of appreciation for exclusively sponsoring the event, United Yousef Naghi top brass Ahmed Sfarjilani, Jamal Hamouda, Muhammad Ghayalini, Roger Rumusud and Mir Saheeruddin were each presented with VIP plaque of appreciation. Administrative officer Muhammad Taha Guinomla and cultural attache Gangco Punguinaguina of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah presented the plaques after a dignified exchange of inspiring remarks between Hamouda and Guinomla.
Special awards were also presented to the following officials and community leaders for whole-heartedly supporting the whole course of the games. Fuad Daghastani (GM-Hafil Transport), Abdul Aziz Jawa (supervisor), Zakariah Saqr (compound manager), Omar Maghrabi (secretary), Engr. Usman Islao (UBC Sheikh) and Nonoy Velo (ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel).
To the delight of everybody, members and officials of the United Naghi champion team were each given a 21-inch LG Flatron TV for lifting the team to the top for the fourth time. Assorted electronic appliances were also given away to the members of the United Naghi team who traveled all the way to Yanbu. The team participated in the two-day Yanbu battle of the champions and brought home the glory.
Multi-awarded coach Danny Lequin claimed the inter-company bona fide best coach first for the steering United Naghi to the championship.
The members of the first Mythical Five awards were Ronald Batarao and Nap Solis as best guards, Darwin Domingo and Shihawi Sarip-best forward and Aaron Mayo as best center. The second mythical five awardees were Albert Trinidad and Jojo Makagila-best guards, Louie Cailles and Rey Bautista-best forward and the tall Juls Pakkie as best center.
Adjudged inter-company open Mythical Five players were Leo Almoite and Don Sindayen (best guard), Roland Centeno and Alex Tampi (best forward) and Nery Lacuata (best center). The best coach award went to Anthony Sobrepena. Other awardees were Custona and Yasser Marmay as best rookie players and Nap Solis clinching the lone leadership award. Al Bayt Décor and Makkah MMBA were the best teams who showed wholesome sportsmanship.
Inter-maranao first Mythical Five awards: Shihawi Sarip and Mac Ramos (best guard), Yasser Marmay and Amil Macapundag (best forward), Exan Dimaronsing (best center). Second mythical five awards: Barambangan aaand Axie Marangit (best guard), Banie Dipatuan and Bobot Casim (best forward), Mocs Mangadang (best center).
