A TOTAL of 29 teams have joined the Shell National Basketball League
(NBL) which opened its 2008 season on January 14 with simple
ceremonies at the Palau National Gymnasium.
The opening ceremonies started with three-point shootout among representatives from each team.
This was followed by the parade of all the teams, invocation by
national youth team Burton Wong, opening remarks from NBL President
Razi `C-Boy' Rimirch and Palau Basketball Federation President Frank
Kyota.
PNOC basketball development officer Topps Sungino served as the master of ceremonies.
Completing the list of veteran teams are Rivals, Peched, Suranmgel,
Meda, Ranchers, Bullets, Blue Sharks, Ididers, Islanders, Ikelauans,
Styxers, PCC Mesekiu, Medalaii, Mesang, Stingers, Ngiwal Central,
Jaguars, Airai, Kabong, Breakers, Mason's Hardware, Ngiwal 79ers,
Klebokel, On Fire and Palau Pacific Resort.
Peched won in overtime against the defending champion Rivals, 83-76, in
the opening tiff.
Peched, which won the 2006 season but lost the crown to the Rivals last
year, got a lift from Palau Major League suspended player Melngis
Uchel, who scored the last four points in the extra period.
Uchel finished the game with 13 points while 2007 GBL MVP Sunshine Soalablai led the win with 22 markers.
Regulation play ended at 69-all.
In the second game, Surangel defeated Meda, 77-69.
In the other Division I game on Wednesday Jan. 16, the 2005 champion
Peleliu Islanders won over the Ididers, 84-72 while the Styxers
prevailed over the Ikelauans, 88-63.
In Division II, the Ngarchelong Blue Sharks struck their first win of
the season with a masterful 66-47 victory at the expense of the Rough
Riders on Tuesday while the Bullets joined the march with a hard-earned
79-73 win against Sam's Sharks.
Also on Tuesday, pre-season champion Shell Helix asserted its lofty
billing by walloping Mesang, 96-70 and on Wednesday, PCC Mesekiu also
barged into the win column by scoring the biggest margin against the
Meda Boyz, 92-47.