Future Generation International School (Fugen) stunned fancied Elite Team-A 86-83 even as Al Taj Team-A remained unbeaten with an 88-80 triumph over Sandy Fugaban’s SPIS (Second Philippine Int’l School) in a pair of Group A semifinal openers on Tuesday in the 1st Inter-School Bonafide Parents basketball tournament 2014 at the Sheraton Riyadh Hotel & Towers court here.

Fugen advanced to the knockout stage of the tournament by beating Palm Crest Team-A 79-73 with Elite B-1 completing the Group B semifinal cast with a 94-72 victory over Elite B-2 and ending the semifinal hopes of RIS (Riyadh International School).

Rebounder Rey Saraosos scored a game-high 27 points with 18 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a shot block, Joey Tolentino made 15 and Daniel Barbosa added 11 as Fugen cut loose behind a deadly fourth quarter to score the victory against Palm Crest.

Elite B-1 was anchored by Ronnie Ronquillo who had a game-high 27 points with 3 steals and 2 assists. Dodong Solis and Ronnie Dela Torre each contributed 17 and 15 with 12 rebounds each and Jojo Umiten added 14 points in the win against sister team Elite B-2.

In Tuesday’s semifinal, Fugen battled from 10 points down with 3:45 to play to pull the rug from under Elite A which had led for most of the game. The first half ended 45-40 and the third quarter 68-62 to Elite A.

Playing coach Ric Garcia called for a timeout and his crew of Marvin Dabu with Rey Saraosos, Daniel Barbosa, Joey Tolentino and Jerry Villanueva responded with dogged determination to overhaul the deficit and get the win.

Al Taj A, which finished the eliminations at 6-0, relied on the duo of Rodney Esguerra and big Andrew Vallejo, who each had 22 points each, to hurdle its opening semifinal assignment while keeping its unblemished record in the tournament of basketball-playing parents of students in various Philippine schools in Riyadh.

Oliven Balmeo scored 14 and Dennis Lejano 13 points for Al Taj A. Topher Dimaculangan scored 26, Dennis Hernaez contributed 16 and Don Flores made 10 and Peter Poliquit 9 for SPIS.

The tournament for the benefit of children of UNICEF enjoys the support of Sheraton Riyadh Hotel & Towers GM Paul C. Dunphy.

The scores:

Fugen (86) R. Saraosos 19, J. Tolentino 14, J. Abella 14, J. Villanueva 12, D. Barbosa 10, C. Villanueva 8, M. Dabu 6, M. Montalbo 3

Elite Team A (83) R. Langit 17, B. Debaratum 16, D. bugayong 14, F. Badawi 13, J. Salac 10, M. Atraje 8, G. Gapasin 3, D. Payang 2

Refs.: Ernie Dela Cruz, Joel Villania and Upang Renosan.

Al Taj A (88) R. Esguerra 22, D. Vallejo 22, O. Balmeo 14, L. Chang 13, R. Biugos 7, G. Velayo 6, D. Lejano 2, M. Gueco 2

SPIS (80) C. Dimaculangan 26, D. Hernaez 16, D. Flores 10, P. Poliquit 9, J. Frugal 7, C. Santos 4, J. Reynaldo 4, R. Argel 2, T. Jamison 2