The Sheraton boys of coach Jess Lumanog got right back in the Inter-Hotels tournament after the defeat by Marriott Riyadh beating Makarim Riyadh Hotel 83-73 but a glorious moment for Lumanog came when his team ended five long years of winless result against defending champion Al Faisaliah with a shock 78-70 victory in their match during the week.

Getting a big lift from its young players including one who just arrived from the Philippines, Sheraton finally got Faisaliah’s number to cap a double for the week.

It was the first defeat in five games for Faisaliah which won its two other games, 96-81 against Marriott and 79-74 against Riyadh InterContinental.

Sheraton sat on a 9-point lead, 46-37, at the half but Makarim spearheaded by Freddie Redulfin and Fares Limin managed to cut the lead to a hairline at 62-61 at the end of the third period. In the ensuing period Sheraton’s newly arrived from Manila, Erano Campo, was assigned to a man-to-man guarding of Freddie Redulfin, and the initiative was paying off slowly but surely behind the strong games by Jay-R de Guzman, Thomas Frias, Marvin Casubuan, Anthony Concepcion, Erano Campo, Allan delos Reyes with Richard Go, Sotero Espiritu, Joney Calibo and Elli Fallorin.

Al Faisaliah was in control all the way in the 96-81 triumph over Riyadh Marriott which had Jericho dela Cruz as the leading scorer with 30 points.

After its victory over Marriott Friday night Al Faisaliah returned to the court oozing with energy and brought down Riyadh Intercontinental 79-74 in a close game.

Jayrold Apas enjoyed a 26-point performance for Intercon which got a lot of help from Kloyd Romera, James Corpus, Razdon Almario, Mac Castillo and Kim Joven but not enough to stop the win of Faisaliah boys, their fourth in a row.

Intercon defeated Ritz Carlton in a thrilling see saw battle 94-90 where the Intercon boys had been hampered by the foul trouble to their key cagers James Corpus, Mac Castillo, Jayrold Apas and Razdon Almario, who was fouled out with still 3:27 to play, followed by playing coach Renato Mendoza with still 1.37 second left with the score at 90-87 in favor of Intercon squad which maintained its cohesiveness and discipline to win the game. Clarkton Browly and Chowking Yee of Ritz Carlton shared scoring honors with 32 points each.

The tournament for the benefit of the Children of UNICEF enjoys the generous support of Sheraton GM Paul C. Dunphy with Sizzler House through Randy Assistin

Selected scores:

Sheraton Riyadh (83) J.R. De Guzman 22, A. Concepcion 16, M. Casubuan 15, T. Frias 15, E. Campo 10, R. Go 3, A. Delos Reyes 2

Makarim Riyadh (73) F. Redulfin 26, F. Limin 14, V. Cesicar 9, L. Herrera 8, D. Ramirez 8, P. Macayayong 6, D. David 2

Refs.: R. Calucaran, Ed Jemena

Al Faisaliah (96) M. Campomanes 32, A. Zabala 26, N. Salvador 10, J. Lopera 10, C. Hall 8, N. Lauriaga 4, A. Coral 4, R. Bracero 2

Marriott Riyadh (81) J. Dela Cruz 30, D. Attip 16, R. Baldevia 13, A. Musa 11, R. Antonio 7, J. Gallardo 4

Refs.: R. Calucaran, Ed Jemena

Al Faisaliah (79) M. Campomanes 33, A. Zabala 25, N. Lauriaga 6, A. Coral 6, C. Hall 5, J. Lopera 2, A. Abdulfattah 2

InterContinental (74) J. Apas 26, K. Romera 22, J. Corpus 9, M. Castillo 9, R. Almario 7, J. Kim 1

Refs.: Robert Pineta, Chris Baculay