Basketball aficionados have been spellbound by a classic championship basketball match between two high-profile teams Jologs and ARCC at the jampacked Al Qadisia sports gymnasium here in a fitting end to the 13th UFBF FAEC Oilers Cup last Friday.

“Today’s game is about a competition against an equally worthy opponent in ARCC,” Jologs manager-coach Leo Gines was quoted as saying before the game, adding that “It is not just statistics, not because Jologs was unbeaten in the eliminations. Jologs has an opportunity to win the championship outright in the first game and will exactly aim for that. I have no clue what is going to happen today as Jologs has no intention for a second game”.

Jologs, displaying firepower that carried it to the finals with an unblemished record, brought down equally strong and young ARCC team, 99-94, in a tension-filled match for the Division A-Premier League championship trophy.

Fahd Alireza Engineering Consultants is the tournament’s major sponsor. Al Hoty Group of Companies and Mohd. Dossary Hospital are minor sponsors.

Both teams played smart basketball in the opening quarter with Mark Tamayo and Billy Ray Boado putting in big numbers for Jologs while Chris Manalili and Jesse Mapanao had a combined 15-point output for ARCC (Al Rushaid Construction Company). Jologs led 20-17 to end the period. The second quarter was still close with scores all coming from Riyadh-based dribblers — Roel Asay, Sherwin Garcia, Raymond Alcasabas, Boado, Mark Tamayo and Benjamin Lavitoria for a 44-40 lead at the half for Jologs.

Garcia’s three consecutive baskets put Jologs ahead by 12, 52-40 early in the third quarter but baskets by Mapanao and Manalili closed the gap to 52-46 just under 3 minutes of play.

Jologs still led the third quarter 74-62 on Angkie Angeles’ short jumper. The game was stopped for 20 minutes due to referee’s contested calls when ARCC tried to come back from 7-point deficit 82-75 with 5:46 remaining in the last quarter.

The game resumed thanks to ARCC bigwig, Romy Lazaro, for his professionalism and love of sports for the community. With Jologs up by two 84-82 with 4:31 to play, a basket and a dagger triple by Boado plus Alcasabas’ inside incursion halted a rather late ARCC rally.

From there, Jologs wrapped up the victory. Jologs starters all finished in double figures — Boado (20), Tamayo (17), Asay (16), while Garcia and Alcasabas each had 13 points. Manalili top-scored with 23 points for ARCC, Mapanao had 20, while Reniel Garcia and Jessey Garcia scored 15 and 14 points respectively.

Ace guard Alcasabas was adjudged MVP. He was in the mythical five with his teammates Asay and Tamayo and ARCC’s Mapanao and Manalili.

In Junior D-2 division, Al Hoty Stanger easily beat archrival FAEC 84-76 in game two picking up its second championship trophy. Eric Tanduyan scored 21 points, Michael Catimbang had 17 markers, Jerome Lazaro finished with 13 while Rey Borilla had 11.

It was one of FAEC’s worst defeats after finishing the eliminations second behind Hoty. FAEC had a jittery start trailing by 7 points end of first quarter 17-24 and continued its slump 31-43 at the half. In contrast, Hoty came in full force and in high spirits with no intention of a repeat in game one where they were beaten by a big margin, 89-73 by FAEC.

Tanduyan was named MVP. With Tanduyan in the mythical team were Jerome Lazaro and Michael Catimbang (Al Hoty) and former MVP Michael Juanite and William Gonzales (FAEC).

Meanwhile, JGC Samurai was tested before beating Al Osais in game two and captured the Inter-company B title. Al Osais beat JGC in game one, 61-57.

Dan Dalida was unanimously voted MVP for his consistent play with 21 points per game average. He was in the mythical five alongside Barry Moreno and Jerry Caranto (JGC) and Blaire Bracamonte and Joey Maninang from Al Osais.

The UFBF committee would like to thank its major sponsor Fahd Alireza Engineering Consultants and minor sponsors – Mohd. Dossary Hospital, Al Hoty Group of Companies, 7-11, Centerpoint, Arab News, TFC and Mega Construction. FAEC reaffirmed its sponsorship to the 14th UFBF Tournament which will open after Ramadan.