By: Eustoria Marie Borja
Koror, Palau – The 2024 Palau National Basketball League officially kicked off on Monday, September 16, with an exciting opening ceremony that included a 3-point challenge, setting the stage for the night’s action. Ten teams are competing this season, bringing high hopes and fierce competition to the court.
The teams in this year’s league include the Meda Boys, Breakers, IYE, Stingers, Ngerchemai Ranchers, 4×4 Wheelers, Meda Greenhorn, Surangel Kings, Imeungs, and Mare.
Following the ceremony, two intense matchups followed the ceremony, showcasing impressive skills and teamwork.
In the first game, Ngerchemai Ranchers narrowly defeated Meda Greenhorn with a score of 77-73. Top scorers for Ngerchemai Ranchers were:
- Wallace Worswick scoring 25 points
- Richard Canete scoring 12 points
- Keizer Canete scoring 11 points
- Blelai Masao scoring 11 points
For Meda Greenhorn, standout performances came from:
- Mathew Richardson scoring 27 points
- Noel Keane scoring 14 points
- Kan Umang scoring 12 points
The second game saw Team Breakers secure a 57-46 victory over Team IYE. The Breakers’ top scorers were:
- Westin Andrew scoring 15 points
- Jerry Ngiraremiang scoring 12 points
- Aldric Kintoki scoring 8 points
- Elton Nestor scoring 8 points
Team IYE’s leading scorers included:
- Jayt Timarong scoring 13 points
- Obak Mad scoring 11 points
- Kedul Andreas scoring 11 points
- Ngermaad Kanai scoring 5 points
With this energetic start, we can all look forward to an exciting season ahead.