LEAGUE leader Fern-C continues to dominate the International Mixed Bowling League despite failing to defeat 2009 champion Budget Savers in Thursday's game.
The current leader faltered against the IMBL's last season's champion, 10.5-13.5, but retained the top spot with 130 points in the longest and biggest ten-pin bowling league in the city.
Budget Savers lost two of its more important players, Leo and Racquel Abubo, who are on a vacation in New Zealand where the female Abubo is also the defending high average bowler.
Mixed Nuts gained 7.5 points on the leader as it mangled upset conscious Khatib, 18-6.
With the win, Mixed Nuts, which has been playing consistently the past three years, accumulated 120 points, 10 off the leader.
General Construction had no cure for the Naughty Angels and fell 8-16 and got bumped off the second spot to third with 11.5 points. Despite the win, the Angles remain among the tail enders at 12th.
Cheeno Loy had nine straight strikes en route to a career best 278 to lead former two time winner Gerco to a 19-5 win over Kasalikami.
Gerco has 106.5 points, two off Budget Savers, which is four up over Banco de Oro, which fell to sixth spot after a 7-17 defeat to 13th ranked Mr. Donut.
BDO, on paper, is the best team with a total handicap of 65 and with two of its players having a single digit handicaps - Philip Choi (6) and league president Dolph Lachica (5).
The youngest player in the league, 18-year older Nikko Go remains the best with average of 185.05 pinfalls per game for a four handicap as he led Gen. Construction to a second low handicap of 70.
Another youngster, Niko Manalo totes a single handicap of eight and fourth best average of 179.94.
Flor Balaba returns to the top in the female side with a league best of 167.24 ppg (18) for Gen. Construction, while BDO manager Cio Gundran is second best with 160.87 (24).
Flor Abul (174 ppg) of Mixed Nuts is still the winningest player with 16 points.
The race for the most improved player will pit Ian Agila with 24.72, while Marice de Guzman carries a 2.29 ppg improvement in her average to lead in the distaff side.
Mixed Nuts top honcho Charile Haber (178 ppg, 9 handicap) has the high series scratch of 628, four off Lachica and another two off Choi. Go has the fourth best of 610.
Flor Balaba leads in the female side with 55, while fiscal Meg Manalo is second with 539. (Roderick Osis)