Riyadh’s Papparoti clinches Ramadan Regional Basketball title; Gracilla MVP

ALKHOBAR: Riyadh’s Papparoti squad of Louie Mulles captured the Ramadan Regional Basketball title dubbed Best of the Bests (Part 2) after beating Boy Corsega’s Jeddah All-Star selection 70-66 in a hard-fought and thrilling game Saturday at the packed Al Qadisia sports gymnasium here.
Fahd Alireza Engineering Consultants is the event major sponsor. Mohd. Dossary Hospital, Bangus Restaurant and McDonald’s are minor sponsors.
Sponsored by Flash Cargo, Riyadh’s five banked on the hot shooting of eventual MVP Recardo Gracilla who made the team’s 10-of-17 points that staked them to an early 22-7 lead at 3:42 in the opening salvo.
Leading by 10, 27-17, heading into the second quarter, the Riyadhites continued to dominate their rivals behind Gracilla who continued to play flawless basketball until the Jeddah squad found some ways to neutralize and kept the game close, reducing the deficit to just two points, 39-37, at the end of the period, with Mursie Akad and Joseh Ubalde taking charge.
However, a breakaway basket from Jamil Acramen followed by two foul shots from Gracilla and a field goal from 6-foot-4 center Raju Mohammed restored an 8-point lead for Riyadh squad, 45-37. Riyadh also got huge defensive rebound from Mohammed making it hard for the Jeddah five to contain the enemy offense.
Akad responded with a baseline shot and Mark Basa drained a triple to keep the game close at 42-45, 6:40 remaining. Both teams traded baskets in the ensuing plays until Jeddah tied the game at 48-48 on Akad’s three-pointer, and a basket from Christian Guimpatan turned the tables on their rivals 50-48 with 3:42 left in the third period. Riyadh led by a hairline margin, 56-55, after two more deadlocks going into the last quarter.
Riyadh scored the first six points of the fourth period behind Schubert Reposar and Gracilla for a 62-55 bubble.
However, Jeddah unleashed a mini 6-2 run to cut Riyadh’s lead to just one, 63-64, after Guimpatan’s basket. But an eye-catching Dandoy, who played with a bleeding right knee, swished a long three for a 67-63 advantage, time down to 1 minute and 20 seconds.
Jeddah had a chance to snatch the win when Reposar was called for a technical foul after receiving his second warning and a foul, just 48 seconds in the clock. Akad had a split charity and Ubalde grabbed an offensive rebound of his own off a technical missed shot for a close 66-67 game, just under 40 seconds left in the game.
But that was Jeddah’s last hurrah as Riyadh’s Lyle Antipuesto sealed the win with his four penalty shots. Joining Gracilla in the mythical five selection were Dandoy (Riyadh), Akad and Ubalde (Jeddah) and Alfie Grijaldo (FAEC). Louie Mulles received the Best Coach trophy.
Gracilla led all scorers with 27 points, Dandoy and Mohammed each had 10 markers, Raymond Alcasabas and Reposar tallied 7 points apiece while Antipuesto and Acraman combined for 9 points. Akad made 21 points, Ubalde finished with 17, Basa had 9, while Guimpatan, Yoyong Akmad, Ron Magat, Ryan Aguam and Charlemagne Liam combined for 19 points for the Jeddah team sponsored by Uncle Majid Rice & Toppings through Francis Magat.
Earlier, FAEC beat NPC in a lopsided encounter, 110-66, to clinch the second runner-up trophy.
On the first day, FAEC succumbed to Jeddah 102-99 when it blew a 10-point lead late in the third quarter, and another 9-point advantage, midway of the fourth quarter, while Riyadh dealt NPC a resounding defeat 85-68, in the second game, to set up a Jeddah-Riyadh finals.