(By Allen Fuimaono)

SHOWBOAT vs. AIR-BALLERS

To Kick-Start the 2015 American Samoa Basketball Association Annual Flag Day League newly registered Show-Boaters from Auto was given the honor to showcase their B-Ball skills against the Airballers lead by veteran Point Guard Frost. Show-Boaters looked intimidated with a front-court averaging at 6’4, but as they say “looks can be deceiving.”

Straight out of the tip-off, the Air-Ballers spent no time to give the newcomers room to breathe as they quickly pushed the pace to take a commanding 13-0 lead. Showboat slowly gathered themselves and did their best to contend, but it was just too much firepower from the veteran loaded Airballers. Showboats front-court as big as they were, were outmatched by Air-Ballers quickness and hustle on the boards. By end of the first half, Air-Ballers were leading in the double digits.

Second half looked no different as Air-Ballers showed no signs of slowing down. Showboat’s showed little spurts on offense, but couldn’t contend on defense as Air-Ballers were scoring at will. The team from the East Auto Showboat showed great sportsmanship throughout the whole competition although things didn’t quite pan as they hoped as they lost their first game of the league to the much experience Air-Ballers 54-31. Leading scorer for the game was Air-Ballers Charlie with 16 pts and 4 Rbs.

NATIONAL TEAM-1 vs. PRIMETIME

The Second game of the evening pitted Club Primetime against American Samoa’s National Selection Team One (ASNST-1). The Selection Team consists of a pool of local players whom are vying for a spot to be chosen to represent American Samoa in the upcoming 2015 South Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea. There was so much talent on the team that PRIMETIME wasn’t flustered nor daunted as they took the court. The game started out pretty slow as both teams were trying to feel each team’s strategy. ASNST-1 ran set plays to try to counter PRIMETIME’s 2-3 Zone as their Point Guard Shane barked out instruction. Fotu and crew weren’t given them much to work with as they were in their face type of defense. PRIMETIME drew blood first, but it didn’t take long for the Selection Team to make a run and put PRIMETIME on their heels.

It was a tight competition in the first quarter, both teams going back and forth with much turnovers and missed opportunity to go scoreless for almost 2 minutes. Selection Team member and 2 time Am. Samoa representative Shawn Salave’a started to heat up from the 3 point line, hitting 2-4 in the 2^nd period and able to lead it’s team to a 8 point half-time lead with the score PRIMETIME 21 – ASNST-1 29.

The 3^rd period started as PRIMETIME went on a run lead by High School phenom Va’a Umu. Selection Team saw its lead tremble and PRIMETIME was able to tie the game at 33-33 a-piece in the final minutes of the 3^rd. Head Coach Sonny Sauafea and Asst. Coach Diehl Langkilde called a time-out and gathered the troops. The Selection Team started working their set-plays as it began to mend together to take the lead again going into the final period at 38-33.

The final period was no different as both teams battling it out for the win. Unfortunately, PRIMETIME wasn’t able to keep Selection Team member Pele Tui Jr. off the boards as he dominated and was able to score consecutive second chance points to give the Selection Team more breathing room with the lead now stretched to 11. Team PRIMETIME wasn’t able to do much as time was winding down; launching pressured 3’s to try to make another push. American Samoan National Selection Team One was able to pull out a late rally to secure the victory with a final score ASNST-1 62 – PRIMETIME -54.

More American Samoa Basketball Association action at the Tafuna Gymansium every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday’s. Basketball NEVER Stops!