Simbol sparkles as AFC rout KFG for title – Body Building settle for 3rd

This news has been read 5758 times!

KUWAIT CITY, May 10: Americana Food Company (AFC) won the Inter-Company championship trophy, beating Kout Food Group (KFG) by a resounding 18 points gap at 96-78 at the Hawally Disabled Sports Club as the PBLK 5th Season inter-company basketball conferences reached its grand finals Friday afternoon.

Jong Simbol poured in 32 points while Richie Javillo netted 17 points, 11 rebounds, two assists and two blocks for Americana, who won eight of their ten matches to get to the semi finals. Fajardo added nine points and 10 rebounds in the Americana win. Simbol scored six of his 32 points in the final 2 minutes as Americana headed for the win.

KFG led by 3 in the opening quarter with 9 minutes to go before AFC went on a 16-15 run to roll back the deficit to one point with 4:12 playtime still left. AFC rallied to take the lead on a Javillo double jumper that pushed them four points past KFG on a 6-2 run in the first three minutes of proceedings.

AFC again went on an 8-4 run and led by two in the first quarter, capped off by an alley-hoop play with Simbol passing to Fajardo for an emphatic bucket. Then KFG struggled, missing three consecutive shots, and Americana capitalized and pulled to 40-28 at halftime.

In the third round, KFG started making shots again and the Americana squad managed to cuff Rommel Dingson who finished with 14 points for KFG somewhat as the defence thwarted most of his moves at the hoop.

Simbol made a shot that hit the board and as the ball rebounded in Javillo’s hands, the point guard quickly flipped a pass to Simbol who carefully lobbed it from behind the arc for the three pointer as the clock counted down to 0.02 seconds, to hand Americana the win at 96-78.

Meanwhile, Body Building with Musab and Allan Basa spectacularly leading the way, staved off a second runner up game defeat with a pulsating 83-73 victory over Kuwait Steel in the inter-company group contest. Body Building won the second runner up position beating Kuwait Steel to third runner up.

Body Building forward Musab contributed a team-high 20 points, along with six assists, as Body Building made the most of home court advantage to lead all the way to the end of the third quarter 68-59.  The point guard scored 9 of his points in the third round. Basa added 19 points for Body Building on seven-of-11 shooting while big centre Masangkay contributed 10 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

Kuwait Steel, seeking to win the third placer of the division were narrowly outshot by 47 percent to 45 from the field with De La Cruz even though finishing with a game high 21, being held to six-of-10 shooting after running into foul trouble. Centre Bacunanag, who missed a three-pointer with five seconds left, finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds in the Steel loss.

The awarding of the winners was done as follows:

* Champion- Americana Food Company (AFC)

* 1st Runner Up- Kout Food Group (KFG)

* 2nd Runner Up- Body Building

* 3rd Runner Up- Kuwait Steel

* Finals Most Valued Player (MVP)- Jong Simbol (AFC)

* Season Most Valued Player (MVP)- Richie Javillo (AFC)

* Mythical-5: Richie Javillo, James Fajardo, Rommel Dingson, Don Don De La Cruz and Jeremiah Masangkay.

* Best Coach- Noriel A Guanlao (AFC)

By Iddris Seidu – Arab Times Staff

This news has been read 5758 times!