Jologs, Al Hoty Stanger triumph in UFBF tourney

The drama, character and excitement. This best described last Friday’s game in the 13th UFBF-FAEC Eastern Oilers Cup at Al Qadisia sports gymnasium with the comebacking Jologs beating multi-titled FAEC 92-89 in Division A-Premier league.
With the ala-Tim Cone style of coaching, Leo Gines’ squad played one of its best games bannered by Riyadh-based cagers and former MBA-Pampanga Dragons Sherwin Garcia and former UAAP and UST Growling Tigers Roel Asay in a double-double performance.
Garcia topscored with 29 points and grabbed 12 rebounds while Asay had 12, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks. Billy Ray Boado, Mark Tamayo each scored 12 while ex-NCAA San Sebastian Stags Raymond Alcasabas and ex-PBL-Welcoat draftee Angkie Angeles combined for 17 points for Jologs.
Scoreless in the first quarter, FAEC’s top gunner and the most decorated MVP recipient, Omar Asmad, finished with 23 points, 14 of them in the last quarter including a triple-tying shot at 84-84 exactly one minute remaining in the game.
Fahd Alireza Engineering Consultants is the tournament major sponsor. Al Hoty Group of Companies, Mohammad Dossary Hospital, 7-11 and Mega Construction are minor sponsors.
Coach-manager Gines is eyeing a championship crown that has eluded him for years and despite receiving an early warning for his temper his Jologs five played with great resolve as Asay and Garcia struck hardest in the paint scoring the team’s 16 of 24 points in the opening quarter for a 24-23 lead to end the period.
But FAEC experience and shooting prowess helped them comeback and even led by 10 points 47-37 at the turn behind the trio of Asmad, Datungputi and Mike Sison.
Ex-Batangas Blade De Castro and Valencia also played their best in FAEC’s offensive assault contributing four points each and often set-up big men for open baskets.
Both teams played equally smart basketball in the third with Tamayo, Garcia and Asay putting big numbers for Jologs and Sison, Asmad, De Castro and Guevarra for FAEC’s side. Jologs led 65-64 end of third quarter.
FAEC’s Valencia opened the fourth with a layup basket but Jologs’ Angeles completed a steal for a 67-66 lead, as both teams battled neck-to-neck. Jologs’ Garcia swished a 3-pointer and distanced themselves with a 6-point advantage, 81-75, 3:52 minutes left in the final quarter. But Guevarra, Bisda and Valencia scored 5 straight points to put FAEC within a point, 81-80, 2 minutes remaining.
Asmad tied the game with a three-pointer, 84-84 all, exactly 1 minute remaining and his last triple came at 12:4 seconds in the clock, but that’s the last hurrah for FAEC as two of their main men — Datungputi and De Castro — fouled out in succession that reduced FAEC defensive stand against Jologs’ tremendous hardwork and teamwork.
Meanwhile, former champion Al Hoty Stanger picked up its second win in as many games after beating STC 85-79.
Other game results: JGC Samurai thrashed last season’s semifinalist Chili’s 81-52 in Inter-Company Division B. Al-Hasa beat Fox River 94-81, Gubat defeated Honeywell 85-77, Dammam Pirates humiliated Al Hilal 81-48 while league leader Mega Construction absorbed its first loss against Dabarkads 79-87 in Junior D-4 Division.