Tamaraws fall to Fiji champions
The National, Thursday 28th March 2013
By JACK AMI
PNG Men’s Basketball League champions Moni Plus Tamaraws suffered an opening pool B 59-30 loss to high-profile Fijian club Saints at the Vodafone Arena, in Suva, on Tuesday night.
The Fijians, with the wealth of experience in its veterans and current internationals, handed the visitors a 29-point margin on their debut campaign at the Fiji National Easter Basketball Club championships.
Saints, the defending Fiji champions, tipped off their campaign with national captain Leonard Whippy his brothers Marcus, Wayman and Jese and Tui Sikivou to dominate the four quarters and frustrate the visitors.
Tamaraws head coach Boyet Daroya said in an email from Fiji that Saints fielded Fiji national representatives, including players playing professionally overseas.
Daroya said it was a tough call for his young boys but it was good experience to play against tougher, faster and bigger opponents.
Young Gabriel Elavo could not get going until the fourth quarter when he got his rhythm and feel of the court and rid his first international game jitters.
He Emmanuel Parapa, Dodong Elavo and veterans Bernard Elavo, Robert Kave, Wally Parapa and Joe Elavo should step up now in the remaining games.
Daroya said the running time and no shot clock affected the tempo of our game.
“We needed to quickly adapt to the timing that the organisers are using. And adjust to that against the other three teams in pool B.”
For Tamaraws to qualify for the quarter-finals they need to win games against Outcydaz (last night), Titans and Mac Pacers on Friday to complete their pool matches. These games are predicted to be tough for the PNG boys. The top two teams in each pool qualify for the quarter-finals.
The final is on Saturday.