Dammam, Saudi Arabia – Former Champions Saudi Ready Mix, COSMA of Isam Kabbani Group and Arabian Consulting and Engineering Center (ACEC) lived up to their billing as favorites, asserting their might versus their respective rivals and returned as the on the champions of their respective groups and grabbed three-of-six Division titles in the 22nd Season of the premier basketball tournament in the region, Eastern Province Basketball League, in front of the screaming fans Friday at Ettifaq Club Gymnasium.
This Conference, dubbed the Commissioner’s Cup was supported by Saudi Ready Mix Concrete Company “Green Machine” and Al Falak System Solution and Consulting Company as the Platinum Sponsors, Gulf Consolidated Contractors Company and Al Enaizi Enterprises as the Gold Sponsors in cooperation with Phuket Restaurant.
Looking like one of the formidable Saudi Ready Mix teams of old in EPBL, the new Green Machine squad outplayed Metals Services Company Pipeliners team emerging with a 91-82 victory to grab the championship in Intercompany League A Division.
Despite losing tournament MVP Robin Santiago to an ankle injury in the third quarter, the boys of Best Coach awardees’ Ariel Julio buckled down with a tight defense forcing the Pipeliners to shoot only 7-of-21 in the third period.
Santiago had a game high 25 of his 27 points in first half before sitting on the bench early in the third quarter with a hurt ankle. Saudi sensation Turki Al Hindi took the leadership on pulling down a double-double performance with 14 rebounds and 15 points while Rodel Caberte added 21 points on 4-of-7 three point shooting. Jun Lata had a game high 31 points for the Pipeliners while former MVP Rodante Luete had 17 points and 12 rebounds. Jessie Matutina had 12 points, Darwin Lorena and Renato Salonga scored a total of 14 points.
Al Hindi joined Rodel Caberte and Santiago for the Green Machine in the Mythical Five with Jun Lata and Rodante Luete of the Pipeliners team.
The Cosma team, inspired by the presence and support of their company executives, pounded the defending champion Safari Company Limited in the third period and emerged with a 99-85 victory to lift the crown in the Intercompany League B Division.
After a 49-44 advantage at the half, tournament MVP Elbert Alberto led the Cosma five on a 14-6 run in the first four minutes in the third quarter and dominated a badly crippled Safari team in the last period. Cosma’s lead was never less than eight points in the second half.
Alberto had 12 of his 17 points in the second half and grabbed nine rebounds and received fine help from Romeo and Togs Palacielo, with 22 and 16 points, respectively while shooting guard Anthony Cabotaje had 17 points for the champion team. Safari was lead by former MVP Peter Iway who had 37 points with a little help from Paul Kimpo and Rommuel Day who had 10 points apiece.
Cosma’s defensive specialist Mar Diana named in the Mythical Five along with Alberto and Cabotaje with Safari’s Iway and Kimpo. Willy Poblete earned the Best Coach Award.
Meanwhile, the taller and stronger Arabian Consulting and Engineering Center (ACEC) jumped out to an early lead and then deployed a run-and-gun offense for an easy 97-65 win over Cue Masters in League C Open Commercial Division to clinch the Championship crown.
The win completed a clean sweep from the elimination round where ACEC won by an average margin of 17 points against all their opponents. ACEC mentor and Best Coach Ramil Zarandin never rested his all-star cast during the emphatic victory and got 25 points from Sison, 17 from Marlon Pacelo, 15 from Russell Cureg, 14 from Bon Ortega, 10 from Boogie Patinio and playmaker MVP Efren Valencia had 10 points and six assists.
The smaller Cue Masters had 22 points from Brian Lato, Novillo Guerzon had 13 points, Randy Campuspos had 11 points but Danilo Dula was limited to four points. All champion teams received specially designed T-shirts from EPBL.
Earlier in the day, Al Bilad Fire Fighting Company forced another Friday faceoff dismantling Gulf Consolidated Contractors Company 81-56 on a man-to-man defense in Intercompany League C Division. The taller Fire Protectors team outrebounded the Power Chargers 34-18, and ran on a transition play with 22-10 fast break points to earn a rubber match. Darille Tidalgo led Al Bilad with 21 points; Eric Bautista had 17, while Randy Cabiso and Dexter Aquino had 10 points apiece for the win. The scrappy Power Chargers was led by Jimmy Gorospe and Meynard Biscocho who had 14 and 10 points, respectively.
In the other championship game, Sharbatly Fruits Company had a sweet revenge beating the Leytenos team 86-79 in League C Open Industrial Division. The Leytenos team conceded as early as three minutes remaining in the last canto trailing by 12 points 62-74. Sharbatly was led by MVP contender Boyet Carpio with 28 points, while Leytenos were paced by Jodefem Moralde with 25 points.
In the tail ender game of the Championship, Radicon Gulf Consult denied the throng fans of Femco Yuksel Consortium via a 93-73 rout. The win propelled the consultant as a big favorite in their do-or-die match on March 12. Slotman Rodel Lopez led five players with double digit scoring with 17 points, Ted Carian had 17, Armel Guita had 15, Alden Marcelo had 14 and Joseph Ignacio had 10 points. Yuksel was paced by Aldrin Bunsua with 23 points and Michael Agarri with 22 points.
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