DOHA: Defending champion Rumaillah Group registered a narrow victory over SBQ-Best Restaurant,100-92 in the 6th McDonald’s Qatar Basketball Cup 2010 of Pinoy Basketball of Qatar at the Al Gharafa Multi-Purpose Training Gym.

One Family caught KBASBanco De Oro by surprise in the last quarter with an effective pressure defense to win the game, 96-89. The wins by Rumaillah and One Family have virtually changed the complexion of the standings of the four semi-finalists which now all have an equal one win-one loss records and the matches on Friday could be a deciding factor going into the championship rounds.

PIBAQ League Manager Bombet Vitor and Commissioner Edgar Sambo both said whoever wins between the scramble by One Family against Rumaillah and SBQ against KBAS on Friday will separately have the right to earn them another crack to the coveted championship rounds.

Anthony Isip was the one-man wrecking crew for One Family contributing for his team with 32 points and a big 11 steals which spells a lot of difference that KBAS frontliners led by big man center Bong Caballero could not understand what hit them in the dying minutes since they have been commanding the leads by as much as 10 points in the first half.

The pressure defense applied by One Family in the last quarter was all that matters to collapse the offensive chores of KBAS and eventually led the winning team to take the rally steadily. A striking similar situation also took place in the first game when Rumaillah started to gain a momentum with a 83-69 rally with 6:20 left in the last quarter after a see-saw trading of leads all throughout the three quarters.

A pick and roll offense by Rumaillah was also proven to be the factor behind their big win as they continue to rally with easy baskets inside the keyhole. SBQ tried every inch of the way to put back with their own version of pressure defense in the last two minutes but it was not good enough for them to close the gap.

With just about 30 seconds left, SBQ led by Camson tried to eke out a four point deficit but it was his two crucial failed conversion at the foul line that foiled their first ever bid to the championship rounds.

THE PENINSULA