JEDDAH: PhilCon E-Life Generals stayed perfect in four games, beating BMG Knights by 5 points 98-93 in Above 40 Division game Thursday during the fifth week in the 1st Orient Watch Cup and 11th Filsama Basketball League Conference at Star Clubs Gymnasium in Faisaliyah District here.

Nap Solis and Joven Batuhan delivered the marginal points in the stretch as the Generals pressed their bid to be the No. 1 semifinalist by scoring their fourth straight victory in the seven-team division where the top four teams after round robin play advance to the knockout semifinals.

Daudi top-scored for the Generals on 20 points, Batuhan added 16, Solis 15 while Dimalig and Nonoy Soliveres each scored 13 points.

The Knights absorbed their third defeat in five games. Veteran Nanding Unas led the Knights with a game-high 34 points followed by PInagayao 17, Teddy Jamahali 15 and Anwar Palo 10 points.

Like the Knights, Airnet Sume and Rabea Tea are fighting to keep themselves in the race to the final four.

Airnet, with Toto Tobeo and Dindo Gono sharing scoring honors on 21 points, brought down Manila Hotdog 82-75 in the third game Thursday while Rabea Tea showed Dr. Loue’s Hotdog squad the door next day by winning their match 81-76.

Airnet and Rabea ended the week on identical 2-2 win-loss cards in a tie with idle Uncle Majid-Panino’s behind Philcon E-Life Generals 4-0 and Friendster-New Cabalen 2-1.

Lidasan contributed 10 points and Mamalumpong had 9 for Airnet. For Manila Hotdog (0-4) the leading scorers were Samson 26 points, Dondon 21 and Loue 7.

Calllueng was the main man at Rabea with 34 points. Manlangit came through with 12 while Arnel Batalon and Allan Yusoph added 10 apiece.

In the week’s featured game, Jeddah Guards staved off a late rally by Friendster-New Cabalen to hammer out a 79-72 victory, as they rebounded from a first game defeat by Uncle Majid-Panino’s in the Open Rated B Reinforced Division.

Zacaria Albaba, showing he still has his shooting touch despite advancing years, scored 27 points, Fattal made 17 and Daniel 13 as Hassan Zeineddein’s Guards used their size and heft to control the game.

The Guards opened a 10-point lead 68-58 late in the second quarter and then spent the rest of the evening answering runs by Friendster which could only bring the gap down to three at 74-71 with 15.2 seconds to play.

For all its edge in experience Friendster failed to put away the enemy with offensive holes resulting from selfish plays in the second half.

Lisztian Amparado and Nafiza each scored 13 points, while Mark Lagria had 11 and Mali Ampuan 10 points for Friendster which went down to its second loss in three games.

In a strong Inter Company Open Non-Rated match, Dabarkads edged out Pinky’z 93-92 on a free-throw by Ricasa with no time left.

With the score tied at 91 Ricasa, who finished the game with 21 points, drove from the left lane and missed his shot but drew a foul. His first throw missed the mark and the second went in to seal the Dabarkads win.

The result left Dabarkads and Pinky’z tied at 3-2 in the team standings behind unbeaten Friendster-New Cabalen 4-0.

Romero, Loyola and Baluyot contributed 18, 13 and 11 points for Dabarkads. Diego Domalogdog paced Pinky’z on 21 with Distreza on 18, Figueroa 17 and Butch Maulana 11.

In the other Inter-Company Non-Rated gane, Sharbatly defeated Jacob 84-66 for an even 2-2 card. Leading the way for Sharbatly were Ordonio 18, Solero 16 and Vitangcor and Cabales with 16 each.

Meantime, Albert Zuniga, operations manager at Zikato Construction Co., has committed to donate trophies to be awarded during the awarding-closing ceremony on Jan. 29.

Tournament major sponsor is Orient Watch -Al Husseini & Al Yahyah Investment Group. The other league backers are Western Union, LBC Cargo Hari ng Padala, Cruzado Perfume, Virgin Mobile and Zikato Construction Co.