Last year's MVP Joel Lagare proved his worth by scoring 25 points and grabbing nine rebounds to help defending champions Al Wasl Travel draw level 1-1 against UAE Exchange in the best-of-five championship final of the 9th PBA Dubai Conference last week.
With Nano Cabrera directing the game in addition to chipping in with an identical 25 points, the defending champions did well to resurrect their sagging fortunes for the Cathay Pacific and Orbit-Total Entertainment-sponsored event. With coach Leo Ang returning to the Al Wasl sidelines, the defending champions looked formidable throughout.
Al Wasl Travel led 25-21 at the of the opening quarter and further consolidated at 46-40 at halftime.
They maintained the lead at 65-55 at the end of the third quarter, only to see the Abu Dhabi men fight back and level at 79-79 with 39.6 ticks left. Al Wasl Travel did well to keep their calm and a last-gasp charity conversion from Joel Lagare gave the defending champions a well-deserved 80-79 win.
Jess Binongo's 37 points lifted Jumeirah Hotel in a breath-stopping 91-90 win against Crowne Plaza.
Binongo had 37 points including six triples to help Jumeirah take the opening game of the best of three finals. And vying for a third place finish, Ibis Novotel clinched the opening game 93-82 against JW Marriott.
Fixtures
Games on Friday: (9 am) PBA Youth (Green) v PBA Youth (Black) (Game Two); (10.50 am) Al Mona Group v Gem/Equator; (12.40 pm) Ibis Novotel v JW Marriott Hotel (Game Two Best-of-three final to decide third place; (2.30 pm) Al Hedaya v I Remit; (4.40 pm) Moneygram v Mediacom/Lecebisa (Game Two of Best-of-three to decide third placed team); (6.30 pm) UAE Exchange v Al Wasl Travel (Game Three of best of five championship final to decide champion).
