By Nazario Rodriguez Jr.
Horizon news staff

Second of a series

While baseball remains as the country’s favorite sporting event, basketball continued to gain more popularity among the youth. With its yearlong program in placed and more support from business and sponsors, the Palau Basketball Federation (PBF) is considered having one of the best programs among the Pacific Island countries.
It is thus interesting to look back some of the major basketball events in 2006 as well as programs of other sports.
BASKETBALL
Koror team A overcame a slow start then stalled the gallant stand of George B. Harris in the homestretch to score a dramatic 64-56 win in the championship game of the 2006 Division I Elementary School Competition Boys Basketball tournament on February 24. KES A thus won the title for three straight years.
However, Meyuns defeated George B. Harris, 37-27, and bagged its first crown in the Elementary School Competition Girls Basketball.
In the 2006 National Basketball League, the Breakers thrived on the free throw line to score a 74-73 win over Meda and won the Division I title.
But Peched Raw took its first title by winning over the Surangel Suns, 95-81, in Game Three of the 2006 season of the NBL.
Ngiramolau was adjudged as Season Finals MVP.
The other awardees were Robinson ‘Ryu’ Richard of the Breakers (Division I MVP); Russell Roman of Surangel Suns (Division II MVP); Nixon Augustine of the Ididers (coach of the year); Tutii Benjamine of the Blue Sharks (rookie of the year); and Team Ididers (sportsmanship award).
In the Women’s NBL, Kryptonite recovered from a slow start to oust defending champion 2Fast, 49-41, and won the 2005-2006 crown on May 25.
The WNBL held on July 16 the awarding ceremony cum dinner party for the top performers of its 2006 season at the Longshoremen’s Restaurant.
Bring It On’s Jaime Ngirausui and eventual champion Kryptonite’s Jubilee Kuartei shared the top honors by bagging the MVP awards for regular season and playoff, respectively.
The coach of the year award went to Nixon Augusting of the Smooth Riders while Helen Gag of Kryptonite was adjudged as the rookie of the year and Reeva Atalig of the Surangel Survivors won the scoring title.
Peched caught South Coast flat-footed right in the first quarter of play to score a 75-65 win in the finals of the 18-under division of the 2006 Shell PBF Summer Youth Basketball Tournament. Medalaii leaned on the endgame heroics of a seldom-used player to score a thrilling 44-43 victory over the Ididers in the championship game of the 15-under division. Atirac Pub won the Open 3-on-3 Division title as it stunned previously undefeated Ngermid, 96-81, in the championship game on August 3.
Asian Spirit easily recovered from a slow start and dashed a spirited rally by Pacifica Development Corporation (PDC) in the final stretch to crown itself champion in the Business Division of the 2006 Rudimch Enterprises GB League with a 87-64 victory.
On the other hand, PNOC just barely escaped with an 83-81 win over last year’s champion Ministry of Finance (MOF) on October 27 in the finals of the Government Division of the 2006 Rudimch Enterprises GB League. PNOC won the crown without dropping a single game after 12 games so far this season. Ziske Asanuma was adjudged as the Division Finals Most Valuable Player.
Mousubes defeated Storm, 43-39, in the championship match of the 2006 Jailhouse 3 on 3 League basketball tournament at the Koror Jail.
Palau High School Green used a fiery third quarter attack to beat the Emmaus Knights, 79-65, in the championship match of the 2006 Inter-scholastic League basketball tournament.
Eddie Calic, the Oceania Zone Development Officer of FIBA who had a regular visit to Palau was impressed by the efforts of the PBF to raise the level of the game here.
Palau is one of the 23 members of the Oceania Zone of the FIBA, the world’s governing body in basketball that also included Australia and New Zealand.
Calic recognized the effort of Topps Sungino and Jubilee Kuartei in organizing the basketball program in the country.
Calic said that Sungino has been considered as the best in the Region among the fulltime basketball development officers in FIBA Oceania Zone.
Calic said he has visited most of the 16 facilities (outdoor and indoor courts), which he said is an advantage for Palau compared to the other countries in Pacific.
PALAU National Olympic Committee (PNOC) nailed an easy 96-75 victory over the Asian Spirit Jets in the championship game last night of the 2006 Government/Business League.
With the victory PNOC became the second team in the league to win the title without any loss after 16 games this season.
Sharp shooting John Stills was adjudged as the season’s Most Valuable Player.
Mindszenty High School A rallied back in the fourth quarter and barely escaped with a 39-37 victory over Palau High School Green in the championship match of the 2006 Interscholastic Sports League Girls Varsity basketball tournament.
Emmaus High School beat Mindszenty High School Team A, 65-58, in the championship game of the 2006 Interscholastic Sports League Junior Varsity basketball tournament on Dec. 1.
LAWN TENNIS
The World’s current number 21 in tennis, Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia, visited Palau and while he was here, the 28-year old professional reserved a one-hour clinic for the current crop of young tennis players.
Hrbaty came to know about Palau through Sen. Caleb Otto, when the two met in the 2004 Athens Olympics.
SOFTBALL
Team Kesebelau got back at Palau National Communication Corporation, 16-9, in the second game of the championship round of the slow pitch softball tournament, which is part of the celebration of the 8th annual Palau Community College Charter Day.
Team Ngerbeched A pulled-out a thrilling 11-10 victory over Ngermid in the second of two championship matches on August 26 to win the title in the 17 and under Co-ed slow pitch softball tournament organized by the Koror State Youth Division.
Shortstop Bedochel Mobel of the champion team won the Most Valuable Player award while the team from Ngerkesoaol was adjudged as the sportsmanship honoree.
Team Executive edged out the Red Men, 14-13, in the finals of the 12th Independence Day slow pitch softball tournament on Oct. 12 at the Meyuns Ballfield.
Led by no less than President Remengesau and Vice President Elias Camsek Chin and Ministers, Executive retained the title it won last year.
Executive was undefeated in the elimination phase on the way to the playoff round while the Red Men from Ngaraard State advanced with a 17-10 victory over Ngak Ma Tang.
Selsoam made it a double celebration by winning both the finals of the Open Division and the King of Diamonds.
Selsoam completely dominated Despedall in offense and defense on the way to a lopsided 22-5 victory and earned the right to represent Palau in the Budweiser Tournament of Champions in Saipan next month.
Selsoam placed fourth while No Ka Oi retained the crown.
NGIWAL defied the odds as it won over host Ngardmau twice in the finals of the first slow pitch softball tournament organized by Physical Education teachers of four Babeldaob elementary schools.