Lebanese Community Basketball Team reaped the fruit of its labor by winning the centerpiece Inter-Commercial Open Non Rated championship crown via a sweep of the best-of-three series against Western Union Thursday in the Microsoft Lumia & 36th FBA Basketball Tournament at the Sheraton Jeddah Hotel court.

The Lebanese team, put together by coach Hassan Zeineddein with all-out support from Consul General Ziad Atallah, became the first Arab champion in the history of FBA-organized tournaments. For Hassan it was his second championship having tasted victory as a player four years ago in another Filipino league.

The clinching win,70-47, validated the rise of the Lebanese, with five months of hard work behind them, as the new power in the elite division.

“I’m very happy to be the first Arab team to get a champion trophy at FBA. It wasn’t easy though, five months of hard work. As a team we had no trouble and there was harmony. I managed to control internal bickering among players,” said a beaming Hassan during an interview with Arab News days after the end of the tournament.

“I’m very proud to coach the Lebanese team. Big thanks to our Consul General for the support,” said Hassan.

If there is some secret to the success of the team it is that wily guard Jad Kabbara (12 points) was a former Lebanon national men’s team mainstay, and at least five players tutored under Hassan with his Under-16 squad back in his home country.

Six-foot-three Tarek Al-Eter sparkled on both ends of the court to score 22 points while eventual Most Valuable Player (MVP) awardee Ramzi Kamareddine added 19 as the Lebanese broke open a tight game with a sustained firepower in the last two quarters.

Morsi Akad had 18 points for Western Union but held to a single point in the last quarter, Mark Basa was taken out of the offensive equation for a measly 2 points and their big men Salman and Joseph Ubalde were effectively held in check by Al-Eter.

Also, the Lebanese limited coach Boy Corsega’s charges to 4 points in the third and 13 in the fourth quarter where the Lebanese poured 27 points to win pulling away like they did in the series opener 84-61.

Helping Hassan out were team manager Jamil Dakkak and assistant coaches Said Tameem and Saleh Farah.

Thursday, the front end of the tournament’s 20th and final week, also saw Francis Magat’s Uncle Majid Rice & Toppings complete a three-peat in the Inter-Hotel & Restaurant Division, beating Jeddah Hilton 82-75 in the knockout final, and Westside Beesline capture the Inter-Company Division D title.

Westside defeated Freyssinet 110-105 in the final game. In other action, Nexus downed Toyota ALJC-CDC 95-68 in the knockout game for third and fourth in the Inter-Commercial Open Non Rated while KIA Motors defeated Vicky & Sam’s Pride 88-87 to force Game 3 in the Inter-Company Division A.

Mohamed Bayoumi, the Presidential Banaag awardee, friend of the Filipino community and widely considered as the bridge in the ties between Filipino and Arab basketball communities, attended the prize distribution ceremony and awarded trophies and medals to the winners along with FBA Commissioner Noel Miguel.

Awardees are as follows:

Inter-Company Division D — Champion Westside Beesline, 1st runner-up Freyssinet, 2nd runner-up Dar Jana, JCF third runner-up; Mythical five Best Guards Reyes, Fuentes; Best Forwards Suguitan, Dolero; Best Center Pingul; MVP Reyes; Best Coach Eric Pingul, Best Manager Westside

Inter-Hotel & Restaurant — Champion Uncle Majid Rice & Toppings, 1st runner-up Jeddah Hilton Hotel, 2nd runner-up Durrat Al Arus, 3rd runner-up Cabalen Restaurant; Mythical five Best Guards Ron Magat, Reyes; Best Forwards Geniza, Montejo, Best Center Pascua; MVP Ron Magat; Best Coach and Best Manager Francis Magat

Inter-Commercial Open Rated — Champion Lebanese Community Basketball Team, 1st runner-up Western Union, 2nd runner-up Egypt Selection, Avengers, 3rd runner-up; Mythical five Best Guards Jad Kabbara, Morsi Akad; Best Forwards Ramzi Kamareddine, Tarek Al-Eter; Best Center Salman; MVP Ramzi Kamareddine; Best Coach Hassan Zeineddein; Best Manager Jamil Dakkak