After losing a third quarter lead against team 79ers who got their momentum when power forward Marlon Bechab and the rest of the squad fought their way to score points and eventually equalize the game with no little time remaining in regulation. Marlon contributed a total of 26 for Ngiwal but failed to uplift his team once more in the extra period. As a result veteran and formal national player, Javis Pedro, showed well his shooting prowess and leadership to his team PPR when he joined hands with his team mates and scored a total of 37 points to rally his team in an overtime win against their challenger.
In other matches, a come back team Klebokel went to upset a new team, Meluert, with a score of 82 – 81 while Meyuns Red Storm edged team Stingers, 68 -67, in a win. Team Jaguars fell short to team Meda after succumbing to a score of 84 – 78, On fire went to hot when they beat Meda boys 58 – 50, while Team Kabong outrun team Surangel, 69 – 63. Peched crushed team PCC – Mesekui with a final tally of 103 – 65, while team High Tide debuted with a win against veteran team Ranchers, 90 – 80.
20 Teams battles for this years’ ABA Leageu namely; High Tide – Jonathan Kaminsky, Surangel Kings – Surangel & Sons Co., PCC Mesekui – palau Community College, Ka’Bong – Rudimch Enterprise, Stingers – Shell Palau/Neco Marine, Ngerchemai – Leg. Franco Gibbons, Ngerbuns – Delegate Kalistus Ngirturong, Ranchers – Leg. Job Kikuo, MEDA – Surangel & Sons Co., South Coast – Senator Mlib Tmetuchl, PPR – Palau Pacific Resort, Ngiwal 79ers – Ngiwal State Government, Airwaves – Shimbros International Co., ON Fire – Koror State Government, Jaguars – Surangel & Sons / CTSI, Meda Boyz, Klebokl, Ididers, Meyuns Red Storm, and Peched.
ABL is operated under the supervision of Palau Basketball Federation where three games will be played every Mondays to Fridays and is sponsored by Shell Palau.
