Pohnpei sweeps Day 2 of basketball friendlies

Pohnpei’s Latoya Beia Ponapart swerves from NMI U17’s defense and drives to the basket during their game in the 2023 NMI-Pohnpei Goodwill Basketball Games Tuesday night at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium. (LEIGH GASES)

It was all Pohnpei in Day 2 of the 2023 NMI-Pohnpei Goodwill Basketball Games Tuesday night at a jam-packed Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

In a fight to the finish, the U17 Junior Marianas women’s team lost against the Pohnpei women’s team, 47-56.

Destiny Pangelinan’s phenomenal performance gave the U17 women’s team a close chance to win, carrying them from a 23-30 deficit toward the end of the third quarter to a 32-36 lead just a few minutes into the fourth.

Pangelinan would take her shots from impossible offensive positions as she was always tightly guarded by two or three defenders—but still made most of her attempts in. Her speed and tenacity on the court, however, became her downfall as she pulled a muscle on her right leg and sat down for most of the fourth quarter.

When she did come came back a while later, she ended up cramping and was taken out of the game for good—not before she racked up a whopping 29 points—making up more than half of the team’s overall score of 47. Teammate Yasmeen Younis backed her up pretty well too as she made 15 points.

The Pohnpei women, however, took advantage Pangelinan’s absence and pressured the U17 team into rushing their shots when they were not in position to do so, causing Pohnpei to take advantage and steal then make their shots themselves.

Sylvania Seneres-Amor, drastically improved from her single-digit first game last Monday and went into double digits in this game as well—making four of her attempts from 3-point territory and ending with 14 points. She was assisted by Chantel Ekiek’s and Esther Edward’s 9 markers apiece.

The older and more experienced Pohnpei men’s team subdued the youngsters of the U17 Junior Marianas men’s team, 99-55 in the last game of the night.

It was a massacre from the start as the first five minutes came and went, but the Junior Marianas had yet to reply to 17 consecutive buckets by Pohnpei. The U17 men’s team didn’t give up though and played with heart, trying their best to keep pace with a much speedier and more aggressive Pohnpei team.

The U17 team managed to sink 14 points in the first quarter and was just behind by 10 points.

Pohnpei showed no mercy, however, and the 11-point lead heading into the third quarter ballooned into a 26-point advantage by the end of it.

The fourth quarter wasn’t any easier for the U17 team as Pohnpei, led by consecutive shots made by multiple players, anchored their win. In the end, Pohnpei defeated the U17 team with a 44 point deficit.

U17’s Gino Asauo put up a great effort and ended up with the most points in the team with 19, with Lance Lerio the only other player in double digits with 11.

Pohnpei’s heavy shooters were Oppa Miingi with 19, Hart Yamada and Michael Mallarme tied with 13 each, and Connor Boylan with 12.

First Game

Pohnpei Women 56 – Seneres-Amor 14, Ekiek 9, Edward 9, Adams 8, Vanessa Helgenber 4, Youngstrom 4, Swingly 4, Joakim 4.

U17 Junior Marianas Women 47 – D. Pangelinan 29, Younis 15, Estella 2, Enriquez 1.

Second Game

Pohnpei Men 99 – Miingi 19, Mallarme 13, Yamada 13, Boylan 12, Ioanis 9, Torres 7, Pluhs 7, Primo 5, Elias 5, Helgenberger 3, Shoniber 2, Damarlane 2, Aguon 2.

U17 Junior Marianas Men 55 – Asauo 19, Lerio 11, Sanchez 5, Mercado Jr. 5, Navarro 5, Tengco 4, Diaz, Camacho 1.

Scoring by periods: 14-24, 31-42, 49-75, 55-99.