Kuwait City, May 23: After being chastened in the opening game of the new season that marred their unblemished record on their way to taking the title in the previous conference, the KFC Americana foodmasters has since made amends by winning all their following games in the ongoing Western Union/UAE Exchange/PABAK 23rd Conference Basketball tournament at the Kuwait Sports Club for the Disabled in Hawally.

KFC Americana 64 The Athlete’s
 Foot (TAF) 46
Since their humbling by Gulf Net at the initial start of the 23rd conference, the foodmasters have been on a rampage, sweeping aside their opponents in convincing fashion to serve notice to all who are eyeing to take the Intercompany crown from them will not succeed and Friday saw them ran roughshod over the hapless footwear specialists, employing a pressing defense and running offense on their way to a one-sided victory.
With the quicksilver Paul Silvestre keying several fastbreaks and Ryan Vallega along with Jeff Fajardo, Javier Munoz, Joel Alesna, Leo Paculba and Nino Carillo alternating in offense, the foodmasters built a 23-9 first quarter cushion and never looked back from there.  Silvestre streaked in 15 markers with Vallega adding 10, Fajardo 8, Alesna 5, Paculba 5, Munoz 5 and Carillo 4 points in the win. F. Ramirez paced The Athlete’s Foot with a game-high 22 buckets while Ronnie and Bernie Ariola chipped in 8 apiece.

RCS Desert Eagles 52 Popeyes Restaurant 44
With big guys Cris Pascual and Randy Golocan manning the boards and El-El Enriquez, the RCS squad opened up a 13-4 lead in the first quarter and then spent the rest of the way warding off a spirited rally by the restaurateurs en route to a convincing win.
Enriquez shot 11, Golocan 9, Pascual 8, Joepet Matias 6 and Noel Yncierto 5 points in leading RCS to the win. Danreb Villanueva, Edward Torres and Joniel tallied 12, 11 and 10 points apiece in a losing effort for Popeyes Restaurant.
Royale Hayat Hospital (RHH) Warriors 20 Kapamilya Triggers 0
It was a second win on a platter for the RHH Warriors when opponent Kapamilya Triggers failed to show up in the day’s third scheduled match.
The Warriors also won via forfeiture over Farwaniya Boys last week.

Al Maidan Clinic 88 Caboria Restaurant 73
After a heartbreaking loss to the Berksmen Barako squad last week, the dentists vented their ire on the game but overmatched Caboria restaurateurs in the first Pro-Leaguers meeting in the fourth game. al Maidan rode the double digit outputs of Topher Gorospe who shot 20, Jojo Obordo 14, Kenneth Ng 12 and Mark Tadlas with 10 points and Nelmar Alanan who added 9 in fashioning the easy win.
Leo John Tono also scored 20 to paced Caboria Restaurant with aerial artist Henry Onofre adding 17, Jojo Fernandez 11 and Anthony Capulong 7 points in a losing cause.

Heritage 75 Pacific Logistics Int’l Cargo (PLIC) 60
Fresh from its conquest of the Caboria Restaurateurs last week, the Heritage five notched another win Friday - this time, over previous conference’s finalist Pacific Logistics Cargo, employing a stifling defense and a balanced offense.
With the usually prolific Jeff Espadero’s guns silenced by the tough defensive rotation on him by the cargomen, Renato Gautane stepped up to lead the Heritage squad’s offense, knocking in 20 buckets in the process with Man2 Maglantay and Ralf Banez adding 14 and 11 apiece and Romel Lareza, Bong Dwiggins, Erwin De Villa, Darwin Espeleta, Jeff Espadero, Aries Mendaros, amd Ferdie Manzano chipping in 7, 6, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, and 2 points each.
PLIC had five players in double figures led by Cris Ingal with 12, Allen Occena and Neil Baldevarona 11 apiece and Darwin Juat and Gueco 10 points each.

Safara Sentinels 60 Gulf Net 55
Ruel Nerpio canned 15, Arnel Magsino 14, Jonas Espiritu 11 and Dilbert Aragones 9 points respectively in dumping the slumping Gulf Net five in another Intercompany match in game six. After their rousing win over the previously undefeated KFC Americana foodmasters in the inaugural opening of the 23rd conference, the communications specialists have been on a downward spiral since in the absence of Rosauro siblings Gani and Jasper.
Jody Napalla led Gulf Net in the losing cause with 10 points while JB Villanueva, Raffy De Guzman and Anton Delos Reyes tallied 9, 9 and 8 points apiece.

Mark Ali 67 Wataniya Airways 52
After waylaying the Western Union money transfer specialists in last week’s outing, Mark Ali shot down Wataniya Airways in the first of two Veteran’s group clashes in game seven. Jay Zulueta shot 21, Marvin Ermac 16 and Daryl Cayunda 11 points in the win. James Carillo and Roy Gorriceta scored 17 and 10 points respectively in a losing effort for Wataniya.

Club X 73 Western Union 57
Western Union got clobbered anew-this time, by Club X in the second seniors’ encounter in game eight, the latter getting twin digit performances from Choy Mico who made 21, Boying Ramirez 12, Rey Masangya 12 and Ricky Matute 11 points.
No Western Union player tallied in double digits with Darren Bejarin’s 9 points the highest, while Noel Yncierto, Bennie Adviento, Edison Abajero and El-El Enriquez chipped in 8, 8, 7 and 6 points each.

Kalexco 67 Desert Tigers 55
The Desert Tigers got defanged anew, falling to the Kalexco aluminum extruders in Non-Leaguers action in the day’s final game, despite the yeoman-like efforts of Benedick Miranda, Jun Fernandez and Raymond Bustillo who tallied 15, 15 and 14 points each, but little else from the rest of their teammates.
Kalexco was led by double figure outputs by Ferdie Cortez who shot 18 and Jomel Carinal with 16 points.
The Western Union/UAE Exchange/PABAK 23rd Conference Basketball Tournament is co-sponsored by Orbit/Showtime, Western Express Cargo, Kabayan Corner, Mais Alghanim Restaurant and Cinnabon.