Bank AlJazira Fawri won a thrilling three-way battle for Team of the Week honors at the start of the OSN-FTBJ 49th Open Conference bowling tournament

at the Jeddah Lanes here.

Their collective heels barely cooled after the last conference, Saturday leaguers swung back into action mustering 12 teams that will vie for bragging rights and major prizes.

For the opening week, it was Bank AlJazira that stood head and shoulders above the rest although it was by no means easy.

Bank AlJazira finished the session with the top tally of 42 points while Kabalen and Jeddah Lanes were a close second and third on 41 and 40.

Red Dragons were 9 points adrift in fourth place with 31 points followed by MC Hammer 30.0, AFM-Moe 29.5 and Taurus 26.0.

Defending champion Sky Freight-TFC could not seem to get going and finished on 20 points, right behind Habagat 20.5.

Geely Car, Fine Boyz Rhinos and SPBC Bowlers were the last three to check in following the opening day hostilities with respective tallies of 15, 13 and 4 points.

To Frank Afurong of Jeddah Lanes went the Bowler of the Week award after he shot the high series of 689 on lines of 225, 256 and 181.

Jazira and Jeddah Lanes swapped leads after each of the first two games with Red Dragons topping the third and Jazira again finishing with the top overall output.

Taking charge at Jazira were the duo of Francis Guron and Randy Mata who rolled 604 and 651. Ariel Urquia on 585 was the other player to complete three games for Jazira. Luis Luna added 153-190 and Atoi Cruz 234.

Afurong’s score went on record as the highest of the week although Guron’s was better because Guron’s team’s games were incomplete on the first week and had to play make-up games during the second week.

Besides Afurong Paolo Allego bowled well for Jeddah Lanes to be on 642, while Gerry Mandanas and Igna Salgado came through with 573 and 569. Mohamad Amri had 199-166 and Majid Aslani 204 to round out the scoring.

Over at Kabalen Edwin Ronquillo owned the best score of 644 to go with the 599 by Nick Gozun, 582 by Jay Bengco and 576 by Regie Mendoza. Ruel Santoc contributed 234-190 and Rene 166.

For Red Dragons it was Bash Langa that led the way on 636 followed by Jurmain Juripae 558 and Steve 561. Tossing in two games each were Cesar Pagtalunan 193-183, August Tendero 149-201 and Thong Langa 158-205.

Rene Punzalan was among the 600-series scorers on 669 as he led the Hammer, which also drew 576 from Dylan Ilagan, 502 from Richard Junio, 202-176 from Zaldy Bacero, 168-232 from Jhun Estefano and 183-193 from Melvin Lising.

Team standings after the first week:

1. Bank AlJazira Fawri 42.0 points 2. Kabalen 41.0 3. Jeddah Lanes 40.0 4. Red Dragons 31.0 5. MC Hammer 30.0 6. AFM-Moe 29.5 7. Taurus 26.0 8. Habagat 20.5 9. Sky Freight-TFC 20.0 10. Geely Car 15.0 11. Fine Boyz Rhinos 13.0 12. SPBC Bowlers 4