Swans, United bag Suburban basketball crowns

BOMANA Correctional Services won their maiden premiership, edging out Morata Swans 76-73 in the Port Moresby Suburban Basketball Association grand final at the Hohola court on Saturday.
It was not an easy win for the “Bombax” team with the game a cliff hanger as Swans’ late fightback being denied by the clock.
The warders experience in ever reliable Apia Muri, veteran Bernard Elavo and 18-year-old Emmanuel Parapa gave them slight edge over Swans.
The warders had a comfortable 37-31 surge in the first half.
In the final 20 minutes it turned into a neck-and-neck race as Swans found form and established valuable scoring opportunities, equalising 43-43. The lead changed on several occasions but lanky Muri and Junior Parapa jammed the hoop as a wake up call and Warders held on to win the show.
POM Suburban Sports Association president Billy Aki was impressed with the raw talent of Swans Junior Ben, awarding the youngster the man-of-the-match with K100 and a trophy.
In the women’s final Gerehu United retained the crown for the second successive year to deny a determined Boroko Pythons 44-32.
It was a replay of last season’s grand final, with the defending champions maintaining their supremacy.
United led 23-16 at the interval and piled on more points over the next two quarters through forward Dorothy Peters, Hellen Kombra, Esther Panduwe and Pauline James to shut out the Pythons.
The snakes’ Elina Yala, Betty Wong and Hannah Kwuimb tried in hard but their efforts were not enough to test the defending champions.
Forward Peters top-scored with 13 points, James 12, Panduwe 8, veteran Maria Degemba and Kombra four points each.