RIYADH, 23 November — The final series of the double round robin of the 1st Riyadh Inter-School Basketball Tournament turned out to be a passport to success for the International Philippine School’s Dragons team. In close thrilling finish, the International Philippine School’s Dragons coached by Ryan Francial overcame a strong challenge from the Millennium International School’s Falcons of coach Gabby Rodil; while the International Philippine School Riyadh’s Yellow Tigers coached by Dennis Damayo humbled Al Maarefa International School squad of coach Salvador dela Cruz which are taking place at the Riyadh Sheraton Hotel basketball court.
The Dragons clipped the wings of the tired Falcons who were playing like a well-oiled machine, the Falcons threw the full weight of their vaunted in the second quarter behind the razzle-dazzle play of Dax Rodil and Popey Dumrigue with Melvin Dinio and Lester Nadal on the rebound to outshoot the Dragons and closed the 2nd canto with 22-all. At the whistle of the third quarter, the Falcons looked well in control with Brian Licodini triggered the first shots followed by Lester Nadal when the Dragons were awakened with the spitfire of Jerome "always a crowd favorite" Siron, Ryan Pegano, Daryl Raymundo and the fancy dribbler Mark Dizon controlling the board and erected 41/36, a 5-point lead at this quarter’s close. A blistering exchange of basket on both teams at the start of the fourth quarter and the Dragons edged out the first stringer of the Falcons’ Rodil brothers and Popey Dumrigue are exhausted while the Dragons had enough reserve of energy with Philip Nunag, Erwin Baladjay, Cequenia, Alfredo Hizon and Maurice Lacanlale doing the harassment and rebounding while Neil Apilado and Francis Nunag doing the shooting with Jerome Siron who posted 19 points for the Dragons while Popey Domrigue did his best for 21 points which was is enough to override the 5 points lead established by the Dragons in the final scores 63/58 in favor of the Dragons.
In the second game, the Yellow Tigers of the International Philippine School Riyadh gave the big crowd an exciting match to Al Maarefa where the second-stringers got the chance to have longer playing time at the center court and lovable Jellico Mendoza got his first ever 3-point shot enabling him to win a Power Horse Energy Drinks gift. Daryl Tanael, a promising basketball legend showed off his antics with daredevil lay-up and rebound and posted 14 points while Kester Trinidad, the best player of the day added 19 points. On the side of the youngster Al Maarefa, another promising star in the person of Escober is the guy to watch who may soon be a by word in the basketball arena in Riyadh with another prolific player, the diminutive Jessie Reyes. If only the squad of Al Maarefa of Jessie Reyes, Escober, Adrian Sese, Jeremy Reyes, Dennis Tanael, Villanueva, Danilo Paredes, Jerone Duterte, and Regie Saliedo have the heights, it will be a team to beat as they have the full energy and stamina of good basketball cagers. The Yellow Tigers with Mark Agahan, Mohamad Bayabao, the Jambongana Brothers of Tarek and Mohammed, Jalal Pundoma, Norman Grutas, Christer Umali, Enrico Venturina, and Manalac are too strong as a team to crumble Al Maarefa 89/79.
The third game between the Dragons and the youngster Al Maarefa International was a foregone conclusion, although the squad of Salvador dela Cruz gave the Dragons a nerve tending game 98/66 where high-flying Jerome Siron posted a high score of 36 points as Erwin Baladjay recorded a consecutive 3-point shots in the first quarter while Jessie Reyes gave-in 27 points.
This thrilling event is being hosted by the Sheraton Riyadh Hotel and Towers and sponsored by Power Horse Energy Drinks with Pepsi-Cola supported by Philippine Airlines and Leybisa.
The venue of the games on Friday is the Philippine Embassy, Riyadh. First game at 6:00 p.m. will be between the Falcons and the Al Maarefa while Game 1 of the best-of-three series follows at 7:30 p.m. between the Dragons and the Yellow Tigers.
The scores:
Dragons (63) - Siron Jerome 19, Pegano 11, Raymundo 10, Nunag 10, Apilado 6, Dizon 4, and Cequenia 3 beat Falcons (58) ñ Dumrigue 21, Rodil Dax 12, Rodil Don 8, Nadal 7, Licodini 6, Dela Cruz 2, and Talibsao 2. Referees: Sonny Benito and E. Marbuena.
Yellow Tigers (89) - Trinidad 19, Pundoma 15, Tanael 14, Jambongana M. 12, Umali 9, Bayabao 8, Agahan 6, Mendoza 3, Grutas 2, Manalac 2, and Venturina 1 beat Al Maarefa (79) - Escober 24, Reyes Jessie 22, Villanueva 19, Tanael 6, Reyes Jeremy 4, and Sese 4. Referees: Rey Cruz and Lito Tandingan.
Dragons (98) - Siron Jerome 36, Baladjay 14, Raymundo 8, Nunag F. 8, Dizon 7, Apilado 6, Pegano 6, Hizon 4, Nunag P. 3, Garcia 3, Viron 2, and Villaflor 2 beat Al Maarefa (66) - Reyes Jessie 27, Escober 14, Saliedo 11, Sese 6, Villanueva 6, and Manalang 2. Referees: Que Que and Caringal.
