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Dubai: Dubai International Hotel (DIH) maintained its claim to the top spot of the Inter-Hotel Division basketball tournament in the semifinal round by defeating the hard-fighting Crowne Plaza, 90-82, on Friday.
Unlike in their first round encounter, the DIH squad were challenged from the very start and had to lean on the talents of Lito Saygo and Edwin Pimentel to escape with the win - their 11th in the Ramon Pizarras - led summer tournament.
The Crowne Plaza team, who endured a 68-70 defeat to Dubai International Hotel in the first round, baffled their rivals with their star shooting, making four of their first five attempts, including two from the 3-point zone, helping tied a 25-25 at end of the first quarter.
But as in their other games, the DIH squad willed their way into the contest with brilliant one-on-one plays that set the tone for a big win as they gamely answered every basket made by the Apollo Lim-led Crowne Hotel to stretch their winning run in the Filipinos premiere basketball league.
Outmanoeuvred
Leading by just three points (70-67) in the first 30 minutes of play, the flashy Saygo teamed with the 5-foot-8 Pimentel in a shooting spree capped by back-to-back treys that shattered a precarious 83-82 count with exactly 2:00 remaining via an 7-0 blitz and held the Crown Plaza scoreless in that stretch.
Aside from setting a new league record, Dubai International Hotel, which is gunning for their first FBC title, seems assured of securing the No 1 spot in the semis.
Lim made his fourth rainbow connection to keep his team close at 80-81 but it proved to be their last hurrah as Saygo and Pimentel secured the win. The two paced the scoring with 36 and 32 points respectively while player-coach Jimboy Rubillos added 12 markers.
Aside from setting a new league record, Dubai International Hotel...gunning for their first FBC title, seems assured of securing the No 1 spot in the semis.
Results
Inter-Hotel:
Ibis-Novotel 85 - 76 Habtoor Grand Grand Hyatt 71 - 68Jumeirah Group
Dubai International 90 - 82 Crowne Plaza
Inter-Company: Drydocks World 75 - 63 M.I.S.
Siemens 102 - 82 G.F.T.
D.P. World 87 - 74 Emaar
S.K. (40 7 above): Cadspace Interior Design 99 - 94 Cyrus Group
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