JEDDAH: Al Zugbi gave defending Open Rated Division champion WRJ-Carling Sportswear a jolt early in WRJ’s title-retention campaign with a 73-63 victory during the third week of the Filsama Open Invitational Basketball Tournament 3rd Conference at the Jeddah Sports Academy court on Thalia corner Sitteen Street here.
The victory put Al Zugbi in a tie for the lead at 2-0 with IDB Marantao, a 97-78 winner over Balo-I in the nightcap on Thursday.
Cartagena led Zugbi with 17 points while J. Desquitado had 15 points for WRJ, which struggled to an 87-83 win over Maguindanao Overseas Group in its opening game the previous weekend.
It was Marantao’s second straight victory following the team’s 68-65 triumph over Solid South.
Jollibee also went 2-0, in the Inter-Company Non Rated Group A, by beating Dansalan 86-83, as RJ Dollentes hit a topscoring 29 points.
In the Inter-Company Non Rated Group B, Asas-Friendster rebounded from a 69-56 defeat by Modern Offset Printer in a big way when it crushed Jeddah Kickers 92-60. Disquitado, one in a line of players seeing action with at least two teams, paced Friendster with 23 points.
Facebook emerged the leader of the group with a 2-0 win-loss card after it bested La Parilla 68-53 in the second game on Thursday.
Action in the newly introduced category, All Muslim Division, had X-Rulz clipping Cotabato 77-74 on Thursday and Pagadian debuting with an 87-70 victory over Sibuco on Friday. Mohap hammered out a lopsided 62-49 triumph over Jamjoom Pharma in the Inter-Company Non Rated Group A.
This third tournament of the Filsama Basketball League attracted 34 teams in the four categories, one of the largest fields in the history of community basketball in Jeddah.
Running the show is the Organizing Committee headed by Commissioner Abdulmoen “Teng” Laguialam. With Laguialam in the committee are Boy Raras, assistant commissioner; and Manny Manalo, technical director. The table officials are Gilbert Chong, scorer, Ramil Portillo, statistician, and Manny, timer, with Willy Cartagena as the play-by-play announcer.
