Dammam, Saudi Arabia – Coach Gil Rivera and his National Pipeline Company squad are ready to take the court again. Not against their old rivals but against a new franchise that is taking the Eastern Province Basketball League Rated Class Division by storm - the Bong Paragas Al Zahrani squad - in an explosive exhibition game Friday. Game time is 2:10pm at the Al-Ettifaq Club in this city.

NPC will be the more rested team, having wrapped up their last game appearance against crowd drawers ARCC-EEI three months ago, while the Zahrani five is growing stronger and stronger, exuding confidence and so far are undefeated in the on-going season.

The multi-titled NPC will parade its veterans anew led by their awesome trio of former PBA stars – San Miguel forward Arnold Calo, Pangasinan Presidents stalwart Anthony Nabong, and ex-PBA Purefoods guard Jessie Cabanayan. They will be supported by an all-star cast of varsity playerssuch as former NU Bulldogs Romwell Lampitoc, Assumption University MVP Jordan Sinio, Tarlac State’s Edgar Bucalin and Ramesh Ordan, MLQU’s Manuel Misola, PMI’s Nicanor Ramos and former RP Youth member Ernie Bagay. NPC will also parade their new recruits, TIP’s Manuel Mediavillo and 6ft 2ins Batangas pride Brian Matanguihan.

'It's definitely a huge match-up and it's going to be a battle. It's going to be a showdown'


Coach Gilbert Mejarito and Rodello Paragas of the Zahrani team likewise have an all-star squad of varsity players with their fresh recruit of 6ft 3ins Tapal King, Mark Pagayanan of Adamson University Falcons and NU Bulldogs 6-footer Roberto Iguadala.

The Zahrani’s will rely heavily on Palarong Pambansa MVP guard Michael Bombita, PSBA forward Lesther Mendoza, University of Batangas's Julius Consignado and Glenn Tubeo, and Lyceum University's silent operator, Angelito Singyan.

The Zahrani’s are also supported by a core of varsity teammates in Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) forward Paul del Rosario, Leonillo Gonzales and Edgar Sennido together with Assumption College of Pampanga’s big man “El Capitan” Nolan Nuguid and Jonathan Punzalan. Rodel Pacheco of Wesleyan University, and University of Mindanao “Timebomb” Francis Lapara completes the cast.

Now everyone is looking forward to tbe game. Commissioner Ricky Piguing explained: "We came up with the idea for the clash between two of the best teams in the region. It's definitely a huge match-up and it's going to be a battle. It's going to be a showdown.”

He added: “This game is for the fans of EPBL. The bottom line is the Zahrani’s are undefeated in the team standing and they had two new recruits and therefore we feel they have earned the right to face NPC being the long-time pride of EPBL."