JEDDAH: BCT-Lutong Pinoy ended the stranglehold of Sky Freight-OSN on Saturday night league events with a sensational victory in the OSN-FTBJ 50th Open Conference bowling tournament at the Bowling City here.

Waiting No. 1 finalist Sky Freight started the night’s proceedings looking to wrap up its fourth championship crown. Instead, Sky Freight lost its twice-to-beat edge and eventually the title in light of the inspiring display by challenger No. 2 BCT-Lutong Pinoy.

To earn a shot at Sky Freight Igna Salgado’s Lutong Pinoy squad had to survive a pressure cooker knockout match against the third-ranked Alfa Moe Yasser in what easily was the most riveting battle yet in a stepladder final in the history of FTBJ-organized leagues.

The match that had the crowd on its feet was decided on the last frame by the anchor players from both teams. Danny Bautista converted a spare for Alfa Moe, which was leading up to the 7th frame, on a 2, 4, 10 setup only to rue the apparent mental lapse in the end because a strike was the call play. Salgado delivered on his part of the deal, hitting turkey on his last three balls to clinch the match for BCT-Lutong Pinoy 1,097-1,088.

Salgado finished on 239 to lead teammates Ed Sardina 218, Majid Aslani 214, Mohd. Al Amari 203 and Gerry Mandanas. Bautista tallied 235 to go with the 256 by Nonie Yap, 211 by Yasser Hokbi, 188 by Rally Zamora and 182 by Cesar Monares.

Gaining momentum, Lutong Pinoy team sponsored by Lowell Plameras and Lilia

encountered little trouble in putting away Sky Freight in the championship match, winning twice at 900-882 and 920-815, as its power bowlers made easy picking of the dried lanes.

For the first match, Salgado and Al Amari took charge for Lutong Pinoy on 189-184, Mandanas made 178, Aslani had 168 and Sardina 157, while Sky Freight drew 205 and 175 from Pancho Cuevas and Bonnie Garcia as well as 171 from Goying Salazar which was just about it with poor contributions of 166 from Oca Bernabe and 145 from James Galvan.

The second match had Salgado on 214, Al Amari 188, Nezar Al Hamwe 182, Mandanas 170 and Aslani 142 for BCT; Salazar 186, Cuevas 180 , Garcia 157, and Bernabe 147 for Sky Freight.

Having also captained teams to championships in the FTBJ’s Friday and Thursday leagues, Salgado has built a reputation as one of the most successful team captains in this side of bowling town.

The first match of the stepladder was a two games with handicap knockout for teams Nos. 4, 5, 6 and 7 namely Xtreme-Taurus, Murjana, Habagat and Bank AlJazira Fawri, which was won by Habagat 1,976. Murjana shot 1,927, Xtreme-Taurus 1,926 and Fawri 1,886.

Alfa Moe beat Habagat in the second match 992-931 to advance opposite BCT-Lutong Pinoy.

The tournament was sponsored by Orbit Showtime Network through OSN Pinoy Product executive Alex Sales, and supported by Sky Freight top honcho and FBTJ Chairman Emeritus Emy de Guzman.

Meantime, the 51st Conference starts Saturday, Oct. 17. Rolloff is 6:30 p.m.

Final team standings:

Champion BCT-Lutong Pinoy, runner-up Sky Freight-OSN, 3rd place Alfa Moe Yasser, 4th place Habagat, 5th place Al Murjana, 6th place Xtreme-Taurus, 7th place Bank Aljazira Fawri, 8th place MC Hammer, 9th place D’ Barkads, 10th palce Masaken, 11th place GBI-TBBGI, 12th place Red Dragons