Rey Ortiz exploded for a game-high 30 points as East All Star slipped past South All Star, 79-68, to lift the championships AT the conclusion of the Al Tuwairqi Group Basketball Winter Games on Friday at Saudi Arabian Youth Hostels Association Club (SAYHA) here.

The left-handed gunner knocked in 11 of his team’s 20 points in the first quarter to control the game with 20-15 advantage in the period. But South All Star stormed back into the game with a 10-4 run after consecutive treys from Rene Vic Jalop that gave them the lead 25-24, with 6:30 to play in the second period, but defensive stops allowed the East All Star to grab the advantage and took a 41-29, score at the turn.

In the third period, after a bucket from Roy Ortiz put South All Star in a 10-points deficit, 31-41, the team failed to score again while East All Star continued their dominance with Mark Mayana, Marcy Macias, Mark Lopez, Joel Avero and Dante Bulan joined the shoot-out to stretch the lead by as much as 28 points, 63-35, at the end of the period to sealed the win.

Named to the mythical five selection were, Dante Bulan as Best Center, forwards Marcy Macias and MVP Rey Ortiz, guards Roy Ortiz and Joel Avero while Rene Vic Jalop bagged the Sixth Man award.

The basketball winter games were organized by the Filipino employees of Al Ittefaq Steel Product Company, the flagship of Al Tuwairqi Group headed by Mark Millena, Rey Millena, and Randy Lansangan with Andrian Bislenio, Eric Manliclic, and Don Vergara. Raymund Ballentos sponsored the championship T-shirts.

The scores: East All Star (79) Ortiz, Rey 30 Mayana, Darwin 18; Avero, Joel 10, Macias, Marcy 10, Lopez, Mark 7, Bulan, Dante 4, Guiyab, Fernando, 0; Jumawan, Urbano 0

South All Star (68) Ortiz, Roy 17, Salado, Albert 17, Jalop, Rene Vic 14, Balisi, Sherwin 11, Tolentino, Rommel 4, Avellana, Manny 3, Serdoncillo, Gary 2 Paja, Edwin 0