CNMI cagebelles routed in debut

Tahiti gave the debuting CNMI Women’s Junior National a rude welcome, clobbering the Commonwealth cagebelles, 101-30, in the opening game in the 7th FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament at the University of Guam Fieldhouse yesterday.

Last year’s All-Star team member Alizee Lefranc led Tahiti’s demolition of the CNMI, firing 32 points. Lucie Matohi added 27 points.

With the way Tahiti started the game, there was no way that CNMI could keep its foe within a striking distance.

Lefranc and Matohi anchored Tahiti’s attack in the first quarter, which ended with the French colony comfortably ahead by 19 points, 25-6.

Tahiti broke the game wide open with a 26-6 run in the second period to take a 51-14 halftime lead.

Lia Rangamar and Nicole Lebria began picking up the scoring for the CNMI in the second half, but their efforts were not enough to overpower the potent 1-2 punch of Tahiti.

Lebria topscored for the CNMI with 12 points, while Rangamar chipped in eight. Dion Diaz contributed five.

Tahiti have been competing in the FIBA youth tournament for the past several years, while the tournament is the CNMI’s first.

Elias Rangamar, who led the CNMI to a gold-medal finish in the 2006 Micronesian Games, is coaching the CNMI cagebelles.

Rangamar’s wards will face Fiji next.

The CNMI also has a team in the men’s division of the tournament, and the Commonwealth’s bets were battling host Guam at press time.

Rufino Aguon is handling the CNMI Men’s Junior Nationals, which are composed of Jericho Cruz, Jayvan Tarkong, Allen Moses, Marvin Rabauliman, Jomar Tumaquip, James Camacho, Joseph White, Jose Castro, Bill Babauta, and Antonio Borja.

In other results, tournament favorite Australia and Papua New Guinea posted similar easy victories over Palau.

Australia walloped the Palau Junior Nationals in the men’s division contest, 122-35.

The Australian Boomers had a jackrabbit start, leading at 35-4 at the end of the first period, and never looked back from thereon.

Seven Australian players finished in double figures with Anthony Drmic leading the way with 21 points. Samuel Rowley, Jackson Hussey, and John Marriot combined for 45 points.

Perry Oiterong paced Palau with 17 markers, while Anthony Rudimch contributed eight.

In the women’s division, Papua New Guinea topped Palau, 98-38.

Rachel Koivi exploded for 16 first-quarter points to lift PNG to a 23-8 lead at the end of the first canto.

Koivi later finished with 34 points, while Nakita Travertz and Imelda Haung scored 14 apiece.

Wanda Kelulau topscored for Palau with 11 points, while Jenna Mersai and Sweety Kalbesang had eight each.