Unbeaten Qatar-Ricor turns back Lhuillier

CEBU CITY — Qatar-Ricor Mills kept its poise despite tough pressure from M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu to pull through with a 70-67 victory yesterday in the ongoing 2003 Trust Classic National Open Championship at the New Cebu City Coliseum here.

Daoud Daoud pivoted the Qataris comeback in the final two minutes before the 6’8 "Dunker from Doha" Yaseem Ismael Mahmoud put on the finishing touch to wrest solo leadership in the event sponsored by Trust Classic, Waterfront Hotel-Cebu City, the Cebu Visitors and Convention Bureau chaired by Patrick Gregorio, Plantation Bay, Air 21, Panasonic, Gatorade, Accel, Sunkist, Healthy Options, Burlington Performance Socks, Hotel de Mercedes, Air Philippines, The Freeman, DZSR Sports Radio 918Khz, Nature’s Spring Drinking Water, Ricor Mills, Spring Cooking Oil, Baker’s Fair and Molten Basketball.

Too bad for the Cebuanos, they appeared headed for a third straight win but suffered crucial endgame lapses, including Woodraw Enriquez’s missed desperate attempt just before the buzzer sounded.

Qatar-Ricor Mills, after a 104-70 debut against Burlington-NBL, now holds a 2-0 card while M. Lhuillier-Kwarta Padala absorbed its first setback in three games.

Earlier, Chinese Taipei-Plantation Bay held RP-Air21 scoreless in the final minute to escape with a 91-85 triumph.

The RP Youth gave the Taiwanese a tough challenge behind John Wyne Te and MacDonald Santos as they trailed by four at 85-89 with 1:07 to go but lost steam in the ensuing play.

The Qataris were in control in the early goings, enjoying their biggest lead of 10, 25-15, barely two minutes gone in the second quarter. But it took them sometime to stop coach Raul "Yayoy" Alcoseba’s firepowers — Geremy Robinson, Bobby Parks and James Laygo who came blazing thereon.

Inspired by loud cheers from the jampacked crowd, the three got their guns going until they grabbed the upperhand, 59-54, with 6:40 left in the final quarter.

Mahmoud went on a rampage drilling in three consecutive baskets to regain the lead, 60-59, two minutes later but Laygo continued the Cebuanos’ assault, burying a jumper and a triple to regain M. Lhuillier-Kwarta Padala-Cebu’s momentum, 64-60, with 2:33 remaining.

But that turned out to be their last hurrah.

Daoud sank a lay-up and following Cebu’s 24-second violation, he converted both his charities off Parks to even the count at 64, with 1:33 to go.

A turnover by Parks paved the way for Mohammed Seleem Abdullah’s three point play off Laygo for a 67-64 lead in the final 1:05.

Parks split his freethrows off Abdulla to keep M. Lhuillier-Kwarta Padala within striking distance, 65-67, with 45.9 seconds left.

But Mahmoud, after Parks missed his second freethrow, grabbed the rebound and fired a triple that gave Qatar-Ricor Mills a 70-65 cushion in the last 29 seconds.

The Cebuanos still got the chance to forge an extra period. Parks exacted another foul off Abdulla to stay close, 67-70, and got the needed break after Abdulla’s turnover with nine seconds to go.

But time wasn’t on their side. After getting the inbound, Enriquez rushed to the other side but found no one to pass the ball to and was forced to take a desperate hurried shot before time elapsed.

However, his attempt bounced off the ring.