Khobar Warriors of team manager and head coach Tito Pineda brought down BEWA Mixers 86-80 in Junior D-3, JGC Samurai held off Almira Team, 61-52, in Inter-company Group B, and Asenjo-Kumpare stopped Pipstrit in a pulsating 74-71 win in Junior D-4 in the 15th UFBF Open Basketball Tournament Friday at Al Qadisia Sports Gymnasium.

Warriors center Jay-R Lumbang top-scored with 20 points to go with 12 rebounds and 3 blocks, but it was ace guard and former JRU standout Alex Almario who directed the play with fluidity and finished with 16 points, 6 assists and 5 steals including critical 3 in the first quarter.

Warriors were tested early trailing by 9 points, 18-9, until Ryan Domingo came up big with two long threes to make it 18-15, less than 2 minutes to go in the period. Domingo finished with 12 points while Ali Al Khaledi played some quality minutes and tallied 8 points while Mhong Valenzona and Michael Mooc added 10 and 8 markers respectively. Warriors led the first quarter 21-17 on Almario’s completed steal.

After Almario made a bucket that put the Warriors on top 23-17, BEWA charged back strong with a 10-0 fightback capped by Noy Credo, Zaldy Patanao, Marvin Ceniza and Benjie Labitoria’s two-pointers that gave them a 4-point lead, 27-23, 6:50 remaining. Warriors then turned to Almario, Khaledi and Albert Ricky Opiso to give the lead back to Warriors 29-27, midway in that period.

It was a close third quarter with 3 deadlocks and as many lead changes with Warriors ahead at 65-59 on Albert Bajoyo’s two free-throw baskets, 5.5 ticks left, after BEWA’s Ceniza made a buzzer-beater 3-pointer for 65-62 to end of the period.

Down by a point, 80-81, with 21.7 seconds left in the last quarter, BEWA had a chance to wrest the lead were it for Aclan’s baseline error and Eleazar immediately fouled Lumbang from the sideline. That proved fatal as Warriors’ Lumbang returned to the line and put the game away with his two foul shots plus Domingo’s last basket.

Ceniza scored 15 for BEWA, Julius Eleazar and Neil Aclan each tallied 14 points, Labitoria had 13, while Jeruel Grabador and Raymund Bocado combined for 14 points.

JGC Samurai took some doing to beat Almira Steamatic, putting the latter in 3-0 a hole in inter-company Group B. Silent operator Rhod Razalan unloaded 27 points including 4 triples. Helping Razalan in Samurai’s first victory was Barry Moreno who scored 10.

Asenjo-Kumpare joined JGC Samurai as first game winner by edging Pipstreet.

Noel Malibiran led Asenjo with 19 points, 12 of them in the last quarter while Boyet Belleza played solid to score 12 of his 17 points from beyond the arc. El Amar contributed 12 points while John Magallanes, Frank Adian, Nick Calimlim and Christian Balaga combined for 15 points.

Pol Blanca’s PCB Bulldogs hammered out a lopsided 104-61 victory over Smart Pinoy in D5-B giving the Bulldogs a clean 2-0 slate.

Tipped as hot title favorite, Bulldogs had all five starters scoring in double digits: Carlo Eleazar (19), Jong Pineda (16), Gino Flores (12), Julius Eleazar (11) and Ramil Ortega (10). The rest of the crew each contributed at least six markers.

Jerry Cusi top-scored for Smart Pinoy with 18 points. He was supported by Michael Alop, who made all his 15 markers from three-point territory, and Rommel Lim with 12.

Other results: Saipem beat Thomas & Betts, 89-77, in inter-company group B, Zamil Industrial dumped Al Hoty Stanger, 88-68, IECEP-ERP defeated RGCF-Nesma Griffins and Rashed Good Year crushed Centrepoint, 92-70 in junior D-4 opening game.