RIYADH, 27 June 2003 — Elmer Cano and Eric Villatema worked defensively and gave the Luzviminda Sports team their full energy for court supremacy in the Filipino Community Basketball League (FCBL) match at the Eid Contracting Compound, Exit 12 Riyadh.
The Luzviminda Sports team of Roger Bajenting and Headcoach Zandro Herrera banked on the abilities of Rey Manigbas, Elmer Cano, Eric Valletta with Ricky Bautista and Ding Natanauan heading the task of scoring.
Worth mentioning, the Sea Shell team headed by Nante Garcia, Angel Tumambing, Nes Ibanez, Boyet Munsayac, and Dho Parangalan though handicapped with only 7 cagers in the whole match took the early lead at 14-5 and they were able to fight gallantly as series of deadlocks were registered. But the Luzviminda Sports cagers never looked back as the lead increased to 14 points and they finally won 89-80.
In another game of the day, the Saco Hardware team of Coach Romy Gervacio took a good start to break the winning streak of the National Guard Printing Press (NGPP) team of Egay Amore 84-77. With Saco on top 20-19 at the commencement of the second canto, Elmer Bandal made a difficult undergoal stab to help NGPP relish their first advantage in the ballgame. NGPP showed good defense to increase their lead to 27-22.
But the Hardware boyz Lito Magno, Glen Gomez and Reggie Almazan came back strongly to forge another lead at 35-31. The tandem of Bandal and Joel Payot kept the blue team on the run but Reggie Almazan was always there at the right time for a good pass from Glen Gomez.
The last canto saw a trade of baskets between the two teams till Glen Gomez’s conversion of a 3-point shot gave the Saco team the lead for the final time and back to back free throws saw Saco close the ballgame with 7 points margin.
