InterContinental Riyadh Hotel coached by Dondon Mengote finished off Sheraton Riyadh Hotel & Towers in their best-of-three championship series by winning Game 3 89-79 on Monday in the 26th Annual Riyadh Inter-Hotels Basketball Tournament 2013 at the Sheraton Riyadh Hotel rubberized court.

It was the fifth championship for InterCon in the history of Inter-Hotels basketball and the first since it failed to defend the title against Al Faisaliah in 2009.

Saturday, the host team forced a deciding third game with a 92-75 victory after the eventual champions had won the series opener 79-76 last week.

The management team of Sheraton Riyadh, led by General Manager Paul C. Dunphy, Director of Rooms Farid Al-Aawar, Assistant F & B Manager Khaled Yahya, Manager Reservation and Room Revenue Abdulrashid Abdulaziz, Sous Chef Abdulkarim Al Taleb and Sales Specialist Amer Bazarbachi, turned out in full force in the finale to support their players. But the Sheraton boys failed to live up to expectations although they tried their level best.

Intercon was in control all game long (23-19, 43-36, 60-56) and the turning point came in the fourth quarter when trouble hit four Sheraton key players. Christopher Tan fouled out with still 3.5 minutes to go as did Jay-r de Guzman and Joseph Abad while the high leaping rebounder Erano “Juk” Campo sprained his ankle and left the court with still 1.47 minutes to play.

Ritz Carlton won the knockout game for the third and fourth against Al Faisaliah 77-76.

The awards ceremony took place after the game with Dunphy on hand to present the plaques and valuable gift items to the winners. Named to the mythical five were Best Guards Ziyao S. Soro (Sheraton Riyadh) and Archie Zabala (Al Faisaliah), Best Forwards Erano “Juk” Campo Jr (Sheraton Riyadh) and Kloyd Romera (InterContinental) and Best Center Jaylord Apas (InterContinental). The idividual awardees: Erano “Juk” Campo Jr. Highest in Steal and Highest in Rebound, Jaylord Apas (InterContinental) Highest Single Game Scorer, Clarkton Browly (Ritz Carlton) Highest in Blocked Shots, Marvin delos Reyes (Sheraton) Highest in Three Points, John Anthony Concepcion (Sheraton), Most Disciplined Player, Four Points By Sheraton Riyadh Khaldia Most Disciplined Team , Christopher S. Tan (Sheraton) Most Improved Player, Dondon Mengote (InterContinental) Best Coach. Soro was the Rookie of the Year and multi awarded Apas Most Valuable Player.

Special citations were given to three team managers who were all the time present during the games of their teams namely Dunphy (Sheraton) Ayman Saber (Al Faisaliah) and Amr Gado (Ritz Carlton).

The tournament for the benefit of children of Unicef was sponsored by Ritz Carlton through Wael Maatouk, Managing Director with China Bank through Alejandro F. Santos Middle East Tie-ups/Region Head Remittance Business Division and enjoyed the generous support of all general managers of participating teams in particular Dunphy, with support from Kudu through Mostafa Hamadeh and Orly Casimero and Randy Assistin of Sizzler House.

With chairman Titacaloy in the organizing committee are Jess Lumanog, chairman of the Technical Committee, TC member Rene delos Reyes, table officials Allan delos Reyes and Jobert Ibanita, the play-by play announcer, Joney Calibo (electronic scoreboard operator), Eli Fallorin and Edgar Simbol (game clock operator) Tom Salvador, Jhun Concepcion, Richard Go, Jonel de Roxas, Laurence Fellizar (scorer) and the official officiating arm of the league for the last 26 years, FCBR referees through Mohd. Ed Tamayo and Ernie dela Cruz.