Using their speed and familiarity to each others game, the East and West All Stars started on a high note as they beat their respective rivals at the start of the 2012 IP&E NBL Super League, Wednesday night at the Palau National gym.

The East All Stars, composed mainly of the members of team Palau in the 2010 Micronesian Games, bested a highly financed FR Spoilers, 93-86. Felling behind 19-17 in the opening quarter, the East All Stars gathered themselves in the second canto as Mike Williams and Sunshine Soalablai took over the scoring chores as they outscored the Spoilers with a 28-23 tally to close the half with a 45-42 lead.

It was form that point that the East All Stars held on to their defense and leveled the Spoilers fast break game to score the win. Williams topscored for the East All Stars with 23 while Soalablai added 17. Coco Gonzales, on the other hand, paced the Spoilers with 32 baskets on the losing end.

Meanwhile, the West All Stars had little sweat as they drubbed the Nationals 17 and Under team, 115-60 in the opening game of the tournament. Perry Oiterong and Douglas Schmidt Jr. led the fire power of the West All Stars as they finished with identical 21 baskets, respectively while Marvic Ngchar carried the scoring load for the Nationals with 23.

Games will resume tonight with Spoilers versus the Nationals 17 and Under team at 6 p.m. while the East All Stars battles the West All Stars in the main game at 7:30 p.m.

The tournament, which is supervised by the Palau Basketball Federation (PBF), is a tobacco, alcohol and drug free program. Any violators will be banned from participating. For more information call Topps at 488-4491.  By Peter Erick L. Magbanua (Island Times News)