With a balanced scoring, tight defense on the best players of SAJCO, Al-Zugbi hammered out an impressive 85-68 victory during the second week of action in the Overseas Filipino Basketball League (OFBL) 2012 First Conference at Time-out Sports Academy on Television Street, Ghulail District outside of Jeddah.
Genil was named Best Player of the game with 26 points while Palomo, Bravo and Junsay combined for 36 points to help Al-Zugbi score its first win.
After a tight battle in the first half, Al-Zugbi pulled away early in the second period on back-to-back baskets from beyond the arc by Palomo, 38-26.
But SAJCO refused to surrender as De Leon tried to boost his team with his own triple toward the end of the third and he finished with 22 points, but Al-Zugbi boys never lost their composure in the final quarter to win with plenty to spare.
Wasalak stopped Takbo’s running game and never gave up in the last two minutes of the game score a come-from-behind 85-83 victory.
After the first three quarters of the game, Takbo looked headed to victory until Best Player Tato, who scored 16 points, spearheaded a Wasalak comeback at crunch time.
With less than two minutes to play, Tato hit four points the last two giving Wasalak an 85-83 lead with 3 seconds left.
Takbo had a chance either to equalize or win with a three-pointer but the man assigned to make the play Encabo, who scored 18 points, was unable to execute as time expired. Regondola made up for a so-so game while playing for another team during the opening day by delivering a Best Player of the game performance with 21 points in Almarai’s 81-77 triumph over Delta.
De la Paz supported Regondola with 20 points while Mc Tito and Gutierrez each made 13.
Espiritu and Ballinan each scored 12 points for Delta.
— With input from Janus Napuecas Gella
The scores:
Al-Zugbi (85) Genil 26, Palomo 16, Junsay 14, Bravo 12, Beloria 10, Pogs Jr. 3, Dote 4
SAJCO (68) De Leon 22, 18, Togle 12, Barcena 4, Mallari 4, Lacap 6, Sison 2
Wasalak (85) Huerto 16, Tato 16, Soliveres 12, Imuan 11, Laron 10, Bautista 8, Aspa 4, Samson 4, Reyes 2, Jimenez 2
Takbo (83) Encabo 18, Manese 18, Catador 16, Melebo 12, Ballinan 9, Santiago 4, Salvador 4, Ramos 2
Almarai (81) Regondola 21, Dela Paz 20, McTito 13, Guttierez 11, Pineda 8, Gallego 4, Valencia 2, Quebral 2
