Lae women brush Kavieng aside

A YOUNG Lae women’s side thrashed Kavieng 90-40 yesterday on day three of the National Basketball Championships in Port Moresby.
The 50-point win at the Taurama Aquatic and Indoor Centre enabled Lae to top pool B and secured the Morobe a playoff berth.
The women’s playoffs today sees all four sides from each pool playing a criss-cross format where Pool A 1 v Pool B 3, A2 v B4, B1 v A3, B2 v A4.
BFPNG chief executive Joel Khalu said the women’s competition would have their quarter-finals and semifinals today and grand final and third place playoff tomorrow.
Lae over-powered a keen but inexperienced Kavieng side after a quiet opening quarter where they led 13-7.
From that point on the Lae women grew stronger with each passing quarter increasing the gap at the end of the second frame (29-16) before blowing out to a 64-32 lead by three-quarter time.
They kept the heat on to amass a 50-point gap and with it top place in the pool.
Lae’s Vivian Gawge shot a game high 22 points followed by Tekla Mukoi (14), Josie Sam (13) and Serah Yawosing (10).
For the New Irelanders, Vanessa Sole stood strong with 15 points – the only double figure score for her team.
In the other matches, Port Moresby (1) thumped Daru 109-64 and NCD beat Kerema 67-37.
In the men’s matches, NCD shocked PMBL (3) 89-74, PMBL (1) outclassed Tubusereia (2) 174-42 in pool A matches while in pool B, Lae beat Tubusereia (1) 108-62 and PMBL (2) hammered Central 3X3 128-53.