KSA - Saudi Ready Mix soar high, capture UFSA-DBL title

DAMMAM (UFSA-DBL) - The Saudi Ready Mix showed no signs of breakdown against hard-fighting M. R. Al Khathlan, after capturing United Filipino Sports Association-Dammam Basketball League (UFSA-DBL) divisional title with an easy 88-63 victory at the jam-packed Al Nahda Sports Club here.

The Mixers, relying heavily on their heft and size, controlled the game from start to finish. And the Khathlan five could do nothing but go for the first runner up plum.

"I think this is the biggest achievement for us," said ecstatic head coach Ariel Julio, who also played for the team in his early days. "We will continue participating in other big league to enhance our skills and became our opponent's biggest spoiler".

Pride, determination, skills and the will to win were all there for the Mixers to match the intensity brought by the Khathlan from the start of this exhausting 40-minute game en route to winning the coveted inter-company crown.

"There's no doubt about the Al Khathlan team. They played tough basketball, they scared us from the start," said team organizer Carlos Casenas. "But our desire to answer their challenges was all there all-throughout."

The Saudi Ready Mix team started on a high note, taking an insurmountable 18-12 advantage after swingman and three points specialist Rodel Caverte converted his second three point shot in the first quarter while tower blocker-center Jayson Agcamaran and Joel Lampa joined forces also in that early run for a 47-32 lead at the start of third quarter.

But the new-comer Al Khathlan squad who reaches the final battle for the first time did not go home without putting up a good fight.

The boys of Hilario Tarolba and Bassem Al Khathlan slowly came back by dropping a 15-4 bomb to narrow the gap, 59-51, with 1:23 minutes to go before the final set.

The Khathlan continued their aggressive play with Noel Zuleta, Milder Vergara, Veronique Alatraca, and Cezar Ventula gave the Mixers nightmares from the perimeter and challenged the victors with their momentum.

But the Mixers loaded with talented players ready to blow anytime they want headed by Most Valuable Player awardee Rolly Bisda who provided all around performance as he scored 38 points including eight triples and grabbed 8 rebounds, he also delivered 14 of Mixers 24 points in the last quarter to outscore the Al Khathlan's low score of 8.

Bisda's six straight points, mostly in the shaded lane late in the third period, kept the champion team on top, 65-41.

The troika of Michael San Felipe, Jhun Ramilo and Robert Paule shared the limelight by putting pressured defense against their opponents who tried their best effort to comeback but failed, they also wowed their crowd with their hard trapping moves.

The boys of Willy De Lara-Carlos Casenas registered their biggest lead, 83-57, when defendable wingman Rolly Bisda, the tournament MVP, completed a lay-up off Milder Vergara's dish with 2:44 minutes to go.

Even with the heart fighting of Ventula,Fernandez and Vergara, the Khathlan team were no match to the gasping Al Khathlan squad.

In the last quarter of regulation, the Mixers refusing to let down their arms, had another 6-0 run, with Lampa,Bisda, Bondoc and Caverte at the helm, and gave the Mixers a commanding 27-point lead 88-61 in the dying seconds remaining in the championship game. San Felipe put cherry on the ice cream by converting two points from the charity stripe in the last moments of the 4th quarter for the match.

The awarding ceremony was conducted by UFSA-DBL Commissioner Jawo Dizon, with Technical Consultant Willy Fajardo and Manny Princepe.
Joining Rolly Bisda as MVP in the Mythical Five awardees were Rudy Fernandez, Joel Lampa, Milder Vergara, and Fidel Fidel.

By Kim G. Cortez
FIBA Correspondent in Saudi Arabia