KSA - EEI down Saudi Oger in OT

Dammam (EPBL) - Renan Labrador and the rest of the ARCC-EEI Erectors gave head Coach Elmer San Miguel a nice birthday present by outplaying the come-backing Saudi Oger to win in overtime, 97-93, in the Inter Company Division of this year's Advisor's Cup of the prestigious Eastern Province Basketball League at the crowded Al Ettifaq Sports Club here.

The game was so close after the first twenty five minutes of play that both team mentors agreed that the team who makes the first run will win the game, and fortunately, it was the Erectors which did just that.

It was a heartbreaker for the Saudi Oger five as they managed to cut EEI's double digit leads to make the game an exciting one. The Erectors played superbly in the first half by shooting well in the field and forcing the Oger to a number of turnovers.

The boys of Jun Pingol made a lot of adjustments entering the second half. EEI started to shoot and defend better as the Saudi Oger squad slowly but surely cut EEI's lead to four after the third quarter. Neil Mojica, Mark Gil Yambao, Paulo Asperer and Baltazar Rabulan hit from behind the arc to make it a ballgame.

Saudi Oger tasted its first lead at the start of the fourth quarter when Alfonso Vicente broke a 65-all tie with a triple.

The Erectors regained the lead behind the prolific performance of Labrador who provided inside muscles and powered his team with a game high 30 points, while Rookie Vincent Lazam's is a tower of power for his rock solid defense. After Zandro Petallana's basket and a free-throw by Dante Alipin, EEI's Rabulan launched a jumper with no time left to force overtime.

The ecstatic crowd saw both teams battling through eleven deadlocks and 14 lead changes. It was so close that both teams had leads of no more than three points. It was a far cry from the first canto, where Saudi Oger elected to run with the Erectors. This time around, the EEI employed a pressure defense all through out the game to force Oger to numerous turnovers and disrupt their offense.

In overtime, the Oger led by three, 89-86, with Alipin on a follow up, and fouled by the July Juanga, with a minute and twenty left. But he failed to cash in his extra free-throw. After trading baskets, and with the Erectors up 94-91, EEI had a chance to finish off the Oger with twenty-five seconds left. But a botched EEI offensive resulted into Oger's three-on two fastbreak with less than ten seconds left. Then Alipin scored on a jumper with no time left to bury the Oger team.

Alipin topped all scorers with 33 points while Petallana and Alfonse chipped in 23 and 14 points respectively.

In another exciting match, Armed Forces Hospital King Abdul Aziz Air Base (AFHKAAB -Rookies) dumped Dammam Central Hospital -Firefox 72-67 win.
Mac Mac Bulatao scored back to back baskets to break Firefox momentum and his split charity in the dying seconds and handed newcomer DCH a first stinging loss.

"The boys wanted to win badly" said Jimmy Aguila, the Rookies head coach. "They played hard to win even though we are first timer in this big league."
Fresh man Danilo Falcone paced the Rookies with 20 points - on a 6-of-9 shooting in the field - along with 10 rebounds.

The Rookies took a huge 43-32 halftime lead. Rino Buriel scattered 12 points in first half while Firefox got a big lift from Arnel Gavino with 17 points in that span.

Firefox pounded the ball inside to big men Robin Manansala and Edwin Katiang who accounted 13 of the team's 21 points early in the first minute of third period. The Fire fox outscored the Rookies 21-9 in the third period and led by one 53-52 entering the fourth.

A jump hook by Bulatao gave the Rookies the lead at 51-49 with 1:45 left. The fourth quarter was a see-saw battle as both teams tried to outdo each other.

Another turnover by the Firefox led to a Rookies free throw as the game seemed to be in AFHKAAB side.

Hot shot Bulatao led the Rookies with 22 points - on a 6-of-12 shooting in the field and marking a perfect 6-of-6 in the foul line - along with a game-high 16 rebounds. Rico Clores and Cris Mendez chipped in 11 and 10 markers, respectively.

Firefox Gavino top scored his team with 24 points, while Rolando Viray and Manansala added 14 and 10 points respectively.

Other game results, HAACO-Gentec whipped Al Falak 76-75, Al Tuwairqi Group defeated Al Hoty Hoopers 80-72; Bader of Jubail smashed Phuket Restaurant 96-85, while ARCC-EEI trashed Jotun Paints 91-77.

The tournament was being sponsored by Hoshan Office Automation, Phuket Restaurant, APTC Trading Company, and JAL International supported by H & H Catering Services.

Kim G. Cortez