Saudi- Vicky and Sam's Pride Princeton AVK Wild Boys bag titles

(MENAFN- Arab News) Three thrilling knockout championship games Friday last week brought a fitting end to the Microsoft Lumia & 36th FBA Basketball Tournament at the Sheraton Jeddah Hotel court.
In Game 3 of the Inter-Company Bona fide Division A championship series Vicky and Sam's Pride edged out stubborn KIA Motors 80-78 in an endgame battle that had the crowd on its feet.
VSP's Amparado almost singlehandedly willed his team to victory scoring a game-high 29 points including the go-ahead free throws with 15 seconds to play as he got the better of Cutamora in an exciting scoring battle that provided a sideshow to the game.
Cutamora finished the night on 27 points with Jay Liam on 16 for KIA which still had the chance to win in the dying seconds but was shackled by the VSP's superb defense.
Setting the tone of the evening was the Inter-Company C championship between AVK Wild Boys and Junbarkads. The Wild Boys won in overtime 95-90.
Princeton meantime emulated the feat of Lebanon Community Basketball Team when it brought down Maharlikans 99-90 in the Inter-Commercial Non Rated championship clash thanks to rising young star Mohannad Amir who delivered the lethal blows to the enemy and finished the night with 32 big points 13 of them in the final quarter.
Princeton thus became the second Arab team after LCBT to win a championship in the FBA. The day before on Thursday LCBT won the centerpiece Open Rated crown against Western Union.
Twice KIA rallied from a 12-point deficit to get back into the game and looked headed to victory after taking a 78-76 lead with 1:04 left when Defensor converted a baseline floater.
KIA regained possession when Liam grabbed a defensive rebound after a Greason defense altered the shot by Amparado 49 ticks to play. KIA milked the clock and with 5 seconds to shoot Santiago missed. On VSP possession Pascua missed two free throws only for VSP to collar the defensive rebound then Butch Maulana fouled Amparado from beyond the arc time down to 15 seconds.
Amparado made all three free throws giving VSP a 79-78 lead before a split free-throw by Montejo on a foul by Cutamora settled the final count 80-78.
Tawakal scored 23 points in support of Mohannad as Princeton used its height and heft to dictate the pace of the game.
Present during the awards ceremony to hand out the trophies and medals was Mohamed Bayoumi recipient of the Presidential Banaag award and friend of the Filipino community who is widely considered the link in the ties between the Filipino and the Arab basketball communities.
Meantime FBA President Edgar Mendoza expressed his appreciation and thanks to the teams sponsors fans and supporters who all helped make the tournament that ran for 20 weeks a big success.
The FBA 37th season is to open in July according to Mendoza.
Microsoft Lumia is the major sponsor of the tournament organized in partnership with Team-Up Event Management headed by Mustafa Al-Saady and Rashad Barmada.
The tournament co-sponsors are House of Donuts (Nassier Group) of Samir Nassier Halalat of Nawaf Tabah (PR Manager) and Centrepoint-Lifestyle & Parfumes Charriol Paris of Deo Francis Vistal and Elealo Janiola.
Awardees are as follows:
Inter-Company Division A Champion Vicky & Sam's Pride 1st runner-up KIA Motors 2nd runner-up Princeton 3rd runner-up Al Saady Trading; Mythical five Best Guards Amparado Jay Liam; Best Forwards Montejo Pascua; Best Center Greason; MVP Amparado; Best Coach Romy Cabalu (VSP) Best Manager Vicky and Sam
Inter-Company Division C Champion AVK Wild Boys 1st runner-up Junbarkads 2nd runner-up Lifestyle 3rd runner-up Saudi German Hospital; Mythical five Best Guards Pugao Espiritu; Best Forwards Vallejo Yabes; Best Center Bayona; Pugao MVP; Best Coach and Best Manager AVK
Inter-Commercial Open Non Rated Champion Princeton 1st runner-up Maharlikans 2nd runner-up Nexus 3rd runner-up Abdul Latif Jameel (CDC); Mythical five Best Guards Aklilu Ismael Kursit; Best Forwards Mohannad Amir Tawakel; Best Center Greason; Best Coach Saleh Best Manager Maharlikans