The long wait is over. Game on, it's time to play basketball.

Filipino Basketball Association, the most prestigious and longest running basketball league in Jeddah, opens its new tournament dubbed Microsoft-Lumia & 36th FBA Basketball Tournament at 4 p.m. Friday at the Sheraton Jeddah Hotel court.

FBA President Edgar Mendoza told Arab News there are 56 teams under seven competitive divisions entered as follows: Inter-Company Division A –Al-Saadi Trading-Toyota, Default, KIA Motors, Pepsi, Silencer 1, Underdogs & Vicky & Sam’s Pride (Raptors); Inter-Company Division B – Al-Mabani, Bin Dawood, Nesma Holding Co., Panda, Renegade (Intrepid), Hanco Maintenance, Sadia, Sweet Bloomers and Saudi Amana; Inter-Company Division C – Al-Tamayus, Jeddah United, Jeddah Warriors, Legends (Jamjoom), Maaden (MGBM), Junbarkads, New Breed-AlShaya, Saudi German Hospital (SGH), Toyota-ALJ, Wafu-Wafu Tropapifs (Intrepid) and Lifestyles; Inter-Company Division D –Al-Gorachi (McVities), AMI Saudi Arabia, Freyssinet, Huta, JCF, Saudi Diar, Toyota (Forklift), Veolia Water, Westside Baseline, Team Hassan (Dar Jana); Inter-Hotel & Restaurant – Cabalen Restaurant, Durrat Al-Arus, Inter-Continental Jeddah Hotel, Jeddah Hilton Hotel, Pinoy Restaurant, Sheraton Jeddah Hotel and Uncle Majid Rice and Toppings; Inter-Commercial Open Non-rated Division – Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ), Al-Muhaidib, Princeton, AVK, Jeddah United, Maharlikans and Nexus. Inter-Commercial Open Rated Division – Egypt Selection, Avengers, Lebanese Community Basketball Team and Western Union.

The opening day is scheduled to begin with a colorful parade of teams followed by short opening program. Invited guests are prominent active community leaders including Mohamed Bayoumi, recipient of the Presidential Banaag Award, friend of the Filipino community and the link in the friendship between the Filipino and Arab basketball communities. Representatives of participating teams and sponsors of the tournament are among the VIP guests expected to attend the event.

Giveaways and free gifts await early birds at the venue. The event will be hosted by DJ Erwin Reyes. Abullah Javier, Miss Jinkee Mendoza and C. P. Manuel are to head the panel of judges for selection of Best in Uniform & Best Muse.

To render song numbers acapela are Leoneil Magtibay, Romeo Pabiling, Joseph Maningo, Freddie Barba, Evelyn Padilla, Meryem Surmeli and Feliciano Austria. They will be joined by the dancers at intermission namely Khalid M. Dimalawang, Marvin Jay Miranda, Mayzyl Lee Taporco, Norven M. Quicho, Lynde Gajeto, Sahida Sam Salilama and Rhommel Muldong.

Mendoza and Commissioner Noel Miguel would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to the generous sponsors especially major sponsor Microsoft-Lumia, the ever supportive House of Donuts (Nassier Group) of Samir Nassier, the Halalat of Nawaf Tabah (PR Manager), Centrepoint-Lifestyle & Parfumes Charriol Paris of Deo Francis Vistal and Elealo Janiola and, of course, to the management of Sheraton Jeddah Hotel especially Ramy Siraj Kurdi, executive assistant manager, Reda Hossain and Abdallah Noor for their good hospitality and continuous support at FBA tournaments. To provide photo and video coverage will be Jay and Kae Photography supported by DX Studio of Idimer Bartolata.

Also, FBA would like to thank its partner Team-Up Event Management headed by Mustafa Al-Saady and Rashad Barmada.

With Mendoza and Miguel in the FBA are Jonathan Canda (technical director), George Feliciano (Admin Director), Russel “Bugz” Ferrer (PR Director), Robert Jose (Operations Director), Jason Manacsa (Finance Director), Jinkee Mendoza (Finance Admin Secretary). Other committee members are Willy Cartagena, Mario delos Santos, Jessie Sales, Mohamed Hani Jamalil of Sheraton Security Force and JOG for the officiating.