KSA - SFCCL edge ACEC; Panda rip Falak to claim EPBL crown

DAMMAM (EPBL) – Saudi Formaldehyde Chemical Company (SFCCL-Jubail) and Panda Azizia dumped separate rivals in the respective championship series to claim the divisional crowns of the 19th Eastern Province Basketball League– 1st Open Conference at the jam-packed Al Ettifaq Sports Club in this bustling city.

This tournament is being sponsored by APTC Trading Company, Hoshan Automation, ABS-CBN, H & H Catering Services, Phuket Restaurant and Coca Cola.

SFCCL made good use of its height advantage over the short-handed ACEC for a thrilling 78-76 win to claim the League C crown and erase the bitter memory of their sister team’s shocking meltdown against Phuket Restaurant in the League B title series.

Donny Superlativo, Ariel Balunsay and Mubarak Al Khaldi dominated the boards.

Saudi sensation Al Khaldi snared a game-high 12 rebounds, including a key offensive carom that allowed the Jubail dribblers to lead at 76-72 on Glenn Oyao’s free throws with 11.4 seconds left.

ACEC cut trimmed the deficit to 76-74 on Aldwin Bauyon’s quick basket coming off the with 9.1 ticks remaining but the boys of coaching trio Ferdie De Villa-Froilan Sumaoang and Boy Cobarrubias kept their good moods and composure with Balunsay and Al Khaldi canning their charities when the ACEC five resorted to fouling their opponents to stop the clock.

Despite a depleted roster, the ACEC five refused to easily give up the fight. “My hat’s off to coach Art Farne. He did an awesome job with the kind of lineup that he had. We just escaped through in this game,” said Sumaoang, who also won the Best Coach Award.

ACEC eventually yielded as Monette Aenlle misfired a trey at the buzzer. For his consolation, Aenlle held his own against Ariel Panlaqui in a marquee match up nailing eight of his 21 points in the final period.

The fiercely-disputed game was marked by 11 deadlocks and 10 lead changes. SFCCL surged ahead to stay at 67-62 on a nine-to-nothing run anchored by Allan Avergonzado, Elmer Agustin and Lemuel Dequito.

SFCCL posted a pair of 10-point spreads early on courtesy of ex-PBL Springs Cooking Oil Eldrin Simpas and three-point specialist Edwin Aleta but went scoreless in a five-minute stretch towards the end of the second period to trail by one, 46-47, at halftime.

Mythical Five were Simpas and Sarcon of ACEC joined by Al Khaldi, Dequito and Agustin from the champion team.

In another match, proving they were not the league's traditional whipping boys, Panda Azizia scored a whopping 99-79 upset of Al Falak System Solution to bag the inter-company plum.

"We just took advantage of the mismatches and our foot speed against their big men. We know that Al Falak is a very talented team," said Panda’s Egyptian mentor Hassan Kasaey. "All my players can shoot from outside. All we’ve done to move the ball and find the open man".

Panda’s shooting barrage clicked, something that was missing in some of their games.

The victors had good looks from the outside, hitting team record 13-of-33 from beyond the arc.

Rahmuddin Macasampen was on a great shooting mood from the three-point land as he led Panda with 24 points-on 6-of-14 sniping from beyond the arc while forward Macloy Osio pumped in 21 points and hauled down seven rebounds.

"It feels that you're only just picking up apples in the three-point zone," Macasampen described, who later adjudged as the league’s Most Valuable Player.

Although Panda seemed unstoppable in the scoring forays, Al Falak kept their never-say-die attitude burning as they unleashed a furious 16-0 burst, capped by Ruel Poliquit’s put back and Arnold Sta. Ana’s defensive wall, to close in on at 82-68 with 2:35 remaining in the last canto.

Macasampen, who had 14 markers in the third including the four treys that frustrated Al-Falak to come back into the match. Ruel Carpio added two more charities to give the Panda a double digit lead in the dying minutes.

Henry Prago had 11 points-on a 3-of-6 shooting from 24-feet while Alfred Balingit amassed a double-double with 10 markers and 10 boards. Reynaldo Maglalang and Bernard Samson got nine points apiece. William Antonio had eight points.

Mythical five awardees Bautista and Macasampen bombarded their opponents with barrages of triples then Osio added a basket for Panda’s biggest lead at 73-52.
Sta. Ana led Al Falak with 24 points while Poliquit added 13 points and 14 rebounds. Jojo Peleo chipped in 11 points.

Missing the services of sharpshooter Earl Sta. Ana who suffered an ankle fracture in Game 1, Al Falak was no match and mercilessly dumped by title hungry Panda squad.

by KIM G. CORTEZ
FIBA Correspondent in Saudi Arabia