Today’s first game had Meda playing the Combo team from Dngerongel/Mekatii and while the Combo started slowly, they managed to become more competitive as the game went on. Their second quarter against a more experience team should give them confidence in future games and they were able to compete in this quarter on the score board. In the end it was Meda with a comforatble win, 86 – 48. For Meda RB Dorado and Cody Ngiraungil scored 24 points each and for the Combo Kib Gabriel continued to add to his league tally with 20 points and Johnny Sumang had 8.

While the Ididers team may be undermanned, they certainly provide plenty of entertainment in the way they play. And while their skill level may be below other teams their continuing effort is great and as they learn their basketball skills this will build into some good players of the future. The final score of 48 – 16 in favor of Ngermid did not reflect the intensity of the game. For Ngermid, Tyler Otei and Excel Otei had 18 points each and for Ididers, Ngiratis Tellames scored most of their points with 13.  

In the first battle to have a chance to finish top in Pool B, Meyuns faced off against Ngerchemai Ranchers in the 3^rd game of the day. Meyuns gained a 10 point advantage at the end of the first quarter and this was to prove vital at the end of the game. Ranchers won the next 2 quarters but both teams tied the score in the last quarter. With just 43 second on the clock the score was tied at 41 each. Meyuns controlled their offence much better in the dying moments and managed to score two baskets to stretch the lead to 4 points. Ranchers missed some good opportunities by throwing up desperate 3 point attempts when a 2 point basket was more available. Two successful free throws for Ranchers at the end of the game got the score within 2 but with only 0.4 of a second on the clock there was not time to steal the inbounds pass and Meyuns won 45 – 43. It was an exciting game throughout. For Meyuns Gerrel Solang scored 15 and Kerai Blanc had 12. Shawn Augustine got a game high 19 for Ranchers and his team mate Sharton Ngiraklei had 11.

Peched brought Echang South Coast’s unbeaten run to a stop in the final game of the day. South Coast got behind by 9 points at the end of the first quarter and then tried to play catch up basketball for the balance of the game. Each time the South Coast team made a run at them Peched settled and managed to score to keep their lead. The South Coast players must have thought that they had to “buy” a basket at times as the ball would not fall in the ring. In the end it was Peched 54 – 48 in their final rounds game to end up with 2 wins and 2 losses. For the winners Colbert Etpison scored 20 points and Jackson Kadiasang contributed 16, while for South Coast Edison Sumor got 15 and Carson Sumor 8.

In the final round of the league tomorrow the following games will be interesting as teams battle for final places in their pools which will determine who they meet in the quarter finals which are a knockout round.

Friday 31^st December

                                                   HOME                                      AWAY

9.00am                 Pool A         Echang South Coast             Ngermid

11.00am               Pool B         Meyuns                                   Meda

1.00pm                 Pool A         Peched Red                            Ididers

3.00pm                 Pool B         Meda Juniors                         Dngerongel/Meketii Combo

Byes                      Pool A Peched, Pool B Ngerchemai