Veterans 3x3 first day of games
The 1st Say No to NCDs* Veterans 3x3 Basketball Tournament got underway with five games Saturday night (10/25/14) in Majuro. For some, it was the first time they'd played competitively in several years. But all had a blast despite some sore muscles, scraped knees and labored breathing. The games are two eight-minute running time halves.
The Marshall Islands Basketball Federation, with support from the Ministry of Health, KUMIT Bobrae Project, and Pacific International Inc., has organized this first veterans 3x3 tournament. After Friday's opening night rainout, five games were on tap for Saturday.
The US Embassy v Bwijwola kicked things off, with Bwijwola (Alber Alik, Jackson Henry, Jr. Abraham, Paul Kattil and Waylon Muller) taking a commanding 6-2 lead in the first half of play (3x3 scores one point for field goals and two points for shots from behind the arc). But the Embassy players (Russell Langrine, Johnnie Green and John Becker), who had no subs, made it interesting with a second half comeback. But Bwijwola held them off to win 9-7.
Do It Best (Larry Hernandez, RantlyKattil and Eugene Muller), another team with no subs, took on MD Enterprises (Vincent Tani, Rusin Abraham, John Masek and Witon Barry). MD Enter. couldn't find the basket in the first half, allowing DIB to take a 5-2 lead. DIB took care of its lead as the second half wound down to win, 9-4.
The third game featured BonurEn (David Paul, Aaron Lang, Jonthan Hazel, Jerry Nathan and Dennis Momotaro) against PII. On this occasion, three of PII's five players were either off island or not able to come. So the game was played as a 2on2 and saw BonurEn take an 8-2 lead in the first over PII (Jackey Salomon and Bobby Muller). But in the second, PII roared back behind smooth dribble drives and hot outside shooting by Jackey. Final score: PII 15-Bonur En 13.
The Rairok Boys (Swinton Aine, BolalKeju, MohangBikajle, Carlon Jeadrik, and Brad Lamille) won by forfeit when Dream Team couldn't get its players to the court on time.
In the final game of the night, Rongelap and Tobolar, each with three players, played an intense game that was ultimately won by Tobolar 9-6.
Check out PHOTO GALLERIES of first night games.
Schedule for October 27 through November 1:
Monday
6pm MD Enterprises v Tobolar
6:30pm Adidas v Bwijwola
Tuesday
6pm PII v US Embassy
6:30pm DIB v Rairok Boys
Wednesday
6pm BonurEn v Rongelap
6:30pm Adidas v Dream Team
Thursday
6pm Bwijwola v Tobolar
6:30pm MD Enterprises v Rairok Boys
Friday
6pm US Embassy v Dream Team
6:30 pm DIB v PII
Saturday
6pm Adidas v Rongelap
6:30 pm BonurEn v Bwijwola
7pm MD Enterprises v Dream Team
7:30pm Rairok Boys v Tobolar
* NCDs = Non-commuicable diseases, such as diabetes, gout, high blood pressure.
Photo: US Embassy's Johnnie Green with the ball as Bwijwola's Jr. Abraham plays a glue-tight defense in the first game of the tournament 10/25/14. Photo: Hilary Hosia.
For more information and photos please follow this link: