By Jess Dela Cruz and Pancho Caculitan, Jr.

RIYADH – The NBD Sparks team of Noel Borromeo took the hard way in claiming this season’s title after denying four teams in the stepladder contest. The champs proved they are the strongest team in the league today opposite Vipers of Elmer Parago.

All smiles were seen on the faces of the members after a big night, denying Vipers via 2-0, best of three games. The team received a big applause from the crowd after Edward Hagader sealed a D8 outshot for the big win. The reigning champs retained the title this season earning back-to-back victories this year.

In the earlier games, The Angels of Romy Gorembalem failed their mission to at least get the last seat after a big loss to NBD Sparks via a 2-0 victory by the champs. The next victim of NBD was Brand One of Jhun Andres who had the momentum in the preliminary showdown but failed to seal the next game giving a chance for NBD to equalize and regain composure.

The champs denied the latter through Orly Rolan’s winning pin. The victory forced the champs to go back to their practice boards to prepare against a tougher match against Bulleros and Vipers in the succeeding week.

NBD took the upper hand at the onset of the singles match against Bulleros 5-3, but Chris Ibuos’ team reversed the tempo grabbing 3 doubles, 9-5. However, the pair of Jun Lagrana and Jay Orate saved NBD in the last doubles. In the last leg, the fatal D16 outshot of Orly Rollan sealed the game 10-9. In the second match, the champs closed the game in the third doubles, with Jun Lagrana also unrolling the final touches (D10), ending the game at 10-6.

In the final encounter with Vipers, Noel Borromeo made sure the attack would be in the doubles and settled only for square points (4) in the singles. The strategy worked through a correct pairing against the strong Vipers.

The solid match-up of ace players Bert Loyola and Jay Orate snatched a very important win in the first match 10-7. The champs grabbed the momentum in the doubles and denied their opponents in all matches, even Borromeo and Hagader surviving a solid Jun Jison/Yanzy Blanche tandem (11-5).

The absence of Viper’s dynamic duo Merwin Vergara and Ferdz Benting, Jr. seemed to affect the winning spirit of the team. The crowd acknowledged the big victory of NBD team which they said “practice makes everything perfect”.