KUWAIT CITY, Nov 9: Ikea’s topsy-turvy season continued Friday as star player Jess Sevilla scored 22 points in their 77-75 win over Square Pilipinas at the ongoing PHILBACK/Western Union Basketball Tournament played at the Jawhara Khalijia Arabic School in Riggae.
After a sputtering start to their campaign in the ongoing league, the IKEA home furnishings specialists subdued the Square Pilipinas to clinch their second win in a row. Led by the increasingly confident Jess Sevilla with the bull-strong Joel Calemenus leading the offense, while the rest of their teammates did their share of the defensive chores, the home specialists bulldozed their way back into the Inter-Company encounter after a 5-point deficit at the close of the first half.
The third quarter saw them rev up their game to neutralize the deficit and take the lead and ending the game with a 2-point advantage by denying the Square the much needed wiggle room to maneuver. Sevilla topped all scorers with 22 markers while Calemenus made 16 with Daryl Sanco adding 10 for IKEA. Chris Reyes and Boom Geavarra each tallied 13 points in the losing effort for the Square Pilipinas.

Results of other games in the fifteen-game schedule of the day were as follows:
AlGhanim 87 vs Heisco 80; FKTC 72 vs Nasser Sports Center 66; Ikea 77 vs Square Pilipinas 75; Kharafi 64 vs SAK 40; Safara 88 vs Mixers 79; ITHC-Movenpick 91 vs LXG 66; Heisco 20 vs Tropaks 0; FKTC 79 vs Brgy Tropa 63; Azcals 60 vs Alfonso 51; JC Net 64 vs Pintados 57; OIC 90 vs Cools 63; Rated-PG 67 vs Matrix 57; Tropang TH 69 vs Balik Islam 60; Balleros 55 vs Exo Warriors 51; Mr. Baker 64 vs Suns 61.
Arnold De Leon and Topher Garosphe each knocked in 28 points with Mateo Estores adding 16 in leading Safat AlGhanim to an easy win over Heisco in the second Inter-Company game despite the former being grossly outnumbered by the heavy equipment specialists. The Safat home furnishers had the wind blowing in their favor from the very start of the game till the end of the third quarter when they had a 7-point advantage, but as the they entered the fourth quarter, Heisco went all out on the attack with point guard Carlo Petini and Marcio Alcantara combining beautifully to hold the Safat squad to a 73-73 fourth quarter tie. Safat, however proved more resilient and tactical in their play, thus ending the game 87-80 in their favor in overtime. Petini and Alcantara led the loser with 16 points apiece.

The First Kuwaiti Trading Company (FKTC) squad registered a second consecutive win in the third Inter-Company clash of the day by beating the ever-improving Nasser Sports Center squad, employing a balanced scoring game and a stifling defense to register the 72-66 victory. Carl Lopez led the First Kuwaiti traders with 26 markers while Quiambao, Delgado, Velasco and Sultan added 11, 8, 6 and 6 points each. Joey Agra shot 18 points with Edward Guerco adding 10 in a losing cause for the sports apparel specialists.
With a show of tough defense and fast attacks, Kharafi National were able to pull off an easy win against the SAK squad with Paul Mallari teaming up with Romy Navarro to provide the needed points for the win. The showboating Mallari pumped in 18 with Navarro adding 14 in carrying Kharafi to victory; teammates Michael Imperial and Robert Opena also contributed 9 and 8 points apiece. Rene Benjamin led SAK in double digits with 18 markers while Raniel Surla and Michael Catalan both had 8 and 6 points in their team’s loss.
The Safara squad’s offensive trio of Mark Tadlas, Oscar Montemayor and Gary Loyola alternated in scoring, turning in double figure outputs of 20, 14 and 12 points while teammate Toots Abostol joined the scoring fray with 10 to lead the Safara squad to an easy victory over the soft-hearted Mixers in the first Open Division encounter of the day.

The game was very much a done deal for the Safara team as they dominated proceedings from the first quarter to the very last blast of the buzzer with the Mixers closely behind the entire time, ending with an 88-79 victory. Joel Alcantara and Noel Morales paced the Mixers with 18 and 16 points.
The ITHC-Movenpick Slashers added to their morale boosting win over the formidable FKTC in their last outing by beating erstwhile tormentors the LXG in the second Open Division matchup for the day in game five. The athletic Kenneth Najera and Jon Jon Labadan led the hoteliers to the win with 19 and 16 points respectively. Henry Vidanes and Dilbert Aragones paced the Mixers in the loss with 18 and 10 points apiece.
The Heavy Engineering and Industrial Supplies Company (HEISCO) squad were awarded the maximum 20 points as their opponents, the Tropaks squad failed to show up for their Open Division matchup.
Despite Paul Mallari and Edward Guerco’s efforts, FKTC almost got stitched out by Brgy Tropa but for the heroics of Cris Ingal and Allen Occeana. The First Kuwaiti Traders were in danger of being shunted aside after Brgy Tropa’s De La Cruz hit a jumper to put his team ahead 48-47 in the third quarter and with time running out Mallari hit the hoops in succession from the field on the return play to put the FKTC back on top and after a loose ball scramble, Guerco got the ball and took one last shot that found the mark to seal the 79-63 win.

Mallari shot 22 and Guerco 15 with the rest of the FKTC winning total spread among the team in the win. De La Cruz scored a game-leading 12 with Andy Buco adding 13 in a losing effort for the Tropas.
The 5’8 Division was another group that saw a lot of action over the week-end with the Azkals squad taking on the Alfonso team. Don Don De La Cruz finally played to his potential, leading his team in assists, rebounds and defense while also combining with F. Solomon in the points department to lead the Azkals to a convincing triumph over the formidable Alfonso squad in their first 5’8 Division game nine matchup.
De La Cruz finished with a game-high 15 and Solomon 10 with Ferdinand, Phoenix and Tyler adding 6 apiece while also helping out in defense. Archson Creo and Jerome Olpindo paced the Alfonso squad in the loss with 10 and 8 markers each.
JC Net’s Cocoy Balcota and Alpon Jay played effective foil to the Pintado’s dangerous trio of Augustin, Padua and Derek Aquino to turn back the latter in the second 5’8 Division matchup and tenth game of the day. Balcota delivered 12, Alpon 11 with Jojo Samaniego, Don Salvador and Peter Cruz adding 9, 8 and 6 points each. Augustin led the Pintados with 17 while Padua chipped in 8 points.
In another 5’8 Division encounter, the OIC squad easily walked over the Cools squad, handing them a get the job done. Letting the versatile Dirk Basco to do his own thing but shutting out the rest of the Cools squad with a smothering defense, the OIC squad finished the game with Basco hitting 22, Aries Garcera 18, Jeff Luage 10, Lito Marcelo 9 and Nelmar Alanan 8 apiece. Tucky Padillo was around to thwart any attempt at a comeback by the Cools led by Ariel Intal’s 24, Oledan’s 12 and Alvin Manunquit’s 10 points.

Santiago and G. Carcabuso led the Rated PG to a one-sided triumph over the unpredictable Matrix squad in game twelve in the 5’8 group. Santiago and Carcabuso dominated the shaded lane while Ferdirigan, Acosta and Cabale took turns from the perimeter. Santiago shot 10 and Carcabuso 8 points with Ferdirigan, Acosta and Cabale adding 8 apiece for the winning Rated PG squad. Edwardo Gueco finished with 19 points while Pratts chipped in 17 for the losing squad.
Tropang-TH employed a balanced scoring attack and tough defense to cut the Balik Islam squad to size in game thirteen action in the 5’8 Division. Jaime Galenders scored 18 with Marlon Batino, Nino Canlas, Boy Comendador and Archie Bandore adding 8, 8, 8, and 7 points apiece in the Tropang’s win. Ruben Ramos shot 22 in Balik’s loss.
A stingy defense that forced numerous turnovers, and balanced scoring carried the Exo Warriors to an easy win over the Balleros squad in the penultimate 5’8 Division action of the day. Reyes and Alcantara led the ten Warriors scorers with double digits of 10 markers apiece, with Romy Navarro and Ramos following closely with 9 points apiece. Rolly Bustamante finished with a game high 31 points while Cesar Nenuncio added 17 for the beaten Balleros squad.
Mr Baker rebounded from their defeat to OIC Bolts last week by downing the Suns 64-61 in the last 5’8 group match of the day, with seven players taking turns in scoring led by Dave Catubig with 33 and Lito Mahilom 12. Adrian De La Cruz and Kyong Dayugan paced the Suns with 25 and 14 points each in their lost cause.