Nesma and Sweet Bloomer stayed on course for a potential battle for Inter-Company Division Group B supremacy as they scored contrasting victories during the 11th week in the Microsoft Lumia & 36th FBA Basketball Tournament at the Sheraton Jeddah Hotel court.

Nesma with Best Player Jay Liam hitting 26 points brought down Al Mabani 90-87 in the second game Friday, while Sweet Bloomer had a relatively easy time disposing of Sadia 68-54 in the nightcap Thursday.

These results allowed Nesma and Bloomer to keep their respective 1-2 positions in the 10-team division at 4-1 and 3-1 win-loss records.

In Inter-Company C, Junbarkads (Maharlikans) stayed clear of the pack at 4-1 by beating Lifestyle 95-76 with Yabes grabbing Best Player honors in the second game Thursday.

But easily the strong match of the week was the Inter-Company A clash between Princeton and Al-Saady Trading of Jimmy Abdullah Beltran.

Promising young player Amir Mohannad, an Egyptian, played like a one-man wrecking crew that inflicted heavy damage on Saady, leading Princeton to an 86-82 victory. Mohannad finished the night with 37 points, 16 of them in the fourth quarter, and deservedly won Best Player of the game award.

Guard Said added 16 points and Tawakal had 14 for Princeton, which improved to 2-1 in a tie with idle KIA Motors, as both teams gained the inside track in the race for one of two final berths in the four-team division.

The defeat put Saady under pressure. Tied at 1-2 with idle Vicky & Sam’s Pride who it beat the previous week Saady now must win all its remaining three games in second round of eliminations to have any chance of reaching the championship round.

The week also saw AVK and Veolia Water barge into the win column of their divisions.

AVK, starring Best Player Mendoza, demolished overmatched Legends 78-38 in Inter-Company C for its first victory in three starts.

Veolia likewise needed three games to taste its first win, 84-77 over Wafu-Wafu Tropafeeps in Inter-Company D, which has attracted the most number of wins in the tournament at 11.

Liam enjoyed a weekend Best Player double as he also led his Open Non-Rated team, Abdul Latif Jameel CDC, to a 91-83 triumph over Al Muhaidib in the third game Friday.

But another ALJ team, United Leasing Co., was not as fortunate, getting the short end of an 85-82 decision with Rainbow Milk in Inter-Company C.

Meantime, Lebanese Community Basketball Team and Egypt Selection renew their burgeoning rivalry when they clash in Friday’s headline match at 7 p.m.

The Lebanese side of Hassan Zennoudine is unbeaten in two games in the Inter-Commercial Non Rated Division while Waleed Khatab’s Egypt team is 2-1. The Lebanese and the Egyptians both play with a passion against each other and, curiously, among their biggest supporters are their consul generals who are expected to attend the game Friday.

The other games Friday: 4 p.m. Bindawood vs. Hanco (Inter-Company B), 5: 30 p.m. Freyssinet vs. Saudi Diyar (Inter-Company D), 8:30 p.m. ALJ United Leasing Co. vs Maaden (MGBM) Inter-Company C, 10 p.m. AMI Pioneer vs. Veolia Water.

Microsoft Lumia is the major sponsor of the tournament organized in partnership with Team-Up Event Management headed by Mustafa Al-Saady and Rashad Barmada.

The tournament co-sponsors are House of Donuts (Nassier Group) of Samir Nassier, Halalat of Nawaf Tabah (PR Manager) and Centrepoint-Lifestyle & Parfumes Charriol Paris of Deo Francis Vistal and Elealo Janiola.