KBAS Contracting defeated Ali Café in a close match on Friday, 62-61, for the second round of the Power Horse Cup 2013 basketball tournament at the Al Gharafa Training Gym.

The Pinoy Basketball of Qatar (Pibaq)-organised league also featured a nerve-wracking Nahkowh and QP Dukhan match won by the former, 74-71.

Some 16 teams will be slugging it out for the rest of the season. 

Pibaq president Pat Carido said the teams comprised of stronger players who are expected to show off their skills in the premier Filipino basketball tournament in Qatar.

Meanwhile, Dukhan Ballers beat QAFAC 75-59; GWC won over Al Gassar 58-55; Mercury Engineering trounce IMCO Engineering 62-51; Unibeton beat Diplomatic Club 88-72; CEG International won over Batang Sanna 73-70; and CheChie over One Family-Office System 83-62.

Separately, Pibaq deputy commissioner and league manager Bombet Tolentino Vitor announced his resignation on the same day. He has decided to return to the Philippines for good with his wife. Vitor was co-founder and was instrumental in leading Pibaq to become a professional tournament in Qatar.

Hundreds of spectators, players and enthusiasts attended the league’s opening ceremony which was graced by Power Horse Energy Drink-Qatar manager Ghassan el-Raahi, Mc Donalds-Qatar marketing manager Ronald Arugay, and Exequil Tunay of Vista Land Marketing.

Power Horse won the championship in Division 1 of the recently-held Subaru Cup.

For the special awards, QDVC-LRT bagged the ‘Best Muse’ award while the Dukhan Ballers (last year’s Division 2 champions) bagged the ‘Best in Uniform’.

During the opening match, QDVC LRT defeated the Dukhan Ballers 69-67. Kimbo Proceso unleashed a 3-point shot with 10 seconds left to seal the win.

“At least, we got even,” said QDVC manager Eric Rabulan. His team lost to Dukhan Ballers in the quarter finals last season.