Joel Avero powered Red Team past unbeaten Green Team 68-65 in the final to clinch the championship crown in the recent Al Ittefaq Steel Group Inter-Color Basketball Tournament dubbed Ramadan Cup and sponsored by the Saudi Arabian Youth Hostel Association (SAYHA) Sports Club here.

Avero went on to win the Most Valuable Player award averaging 15 points in the three-day tournament. Dante Bulan of Green Team was named Best Center, Don Vergara (Yellow team) and Roy Ortiz (Red Team) was Best Forwards and Best Guards Rene Vic Jalop and Avero completed the mythical five.

Green Team played catch-up basketball in the championship, trailing ny as much as 15 points, 43-57 in the second half but got back in the game so quickly with Marcy Macias, John Aguilar and Ortiz on the firing end that put the game in the balance heading into the final two minutes.

Coming off a timeout, the Red team forced three turnovers and got back in the groove with a 66-63 led with 35 seconds remaining that propelled the Red to the trophy.

Gary Serdoncillo led Red team in scoring with 16 points, Rey Ortiz had 13, Nixon Lorenzo had 11, Avero 10, Edgar Pangilinan, Daniel Ramos and Rene Jalop tallied 10 points for the champions. Roy Ortiz led Green with 18 points, Macias had 11, Aguilar added 10 points, and Ian Beslenio and Chris Tuazon had 15 points combined.

The Ramadan Cup was supervised by SAYHA’s Abdullah Alomari, with Mark and Rey Millena as the head of the organizing committee.