The 2016-2017 ASHSAA Junior Varsity Girls' Basketball championship title is now at the Home of the Flames in Malaeimi, something that nobody thought would ever happen, especially for a team that only hopped on board late last year. Manumalo Academy is known for its academic achievements in territorial competitions. Strict Christian values and a strenuous workload for students is the norm there. For the school to win anything in athletics is the farthest thing from anyone's mind [read more]
The 2016-2017 ASHSAA Junior Varsity Girls' Basketball championship title is now at the Home of the Flames in Malaeimi, something that nobody thought would ever happen, especially for a team that only hopped on board late last year. Manumalo Academy is known for its academic achievements in territorial competitions. Strict Christian values and a strenuous workload for students is the norm there. For the school to win anything in athletics is the farthest thing from anyone's mind. Nobody ever expected the private school to force its way through the American Samoa High School Athletics Association's ranks and come home victorious, especially in their first ever season competing against other local high schools. Flames head coach Margaritta Viena, a second year teacher at the school, summed up their season in one word: 'underdogs.' And after such an exciting season, the term really seems like an understatement. 'When the season first started, we didn't expect to be champions,' Viena told Samoa News yesterday, adding that for the girls on the team, this was their first time playing in an 'organized basketball' program and some of them didn't even know how to dribble or make a lay-up. But that was back in December. Fast forward four months later and the same group of 'amateur' players have done the unthinkable. Up until last week, the team was undefeated. Their first loss - only by two points - was handed to them by the Faga'itua High School Vikings last week. Manumalo's team record for its first season in the ASHSAA program is 8 wins, 1 loss, and 1 tie. 'These girls have grown so much since the formation of the team late last year,' Head Coach Viena shared. 'Going from not really knowing anything about basketball to becoming champions is great and shows how awesome their progress is.' Viena is no stranger on the court. She has played basketball most of her life and was part of the American Samoa National Women's Basketball Team that represented the territory in the 2015 South Pacific Games during which they came home with the silver medal. 'There were many people who didn't believe we would ever make it this far but we did,' she said of the Flames. Unlike other local high schools, Manumalo only has a total enrollment of 29 students, hence the inclusion of elementary level girls in the team. Three of the ten players on the Flames squad are 8th graders and one is in 7th grade. The team closed off its remarkable season with a 26-13 victory over the Samoana Sharks last Friday. And because none of the players are seniors, expect to see the same names on next year's roster when Manumalo defends its title. - Courtesy of: samoanews.com
American Samoa returns from Samoa with 2 Championships - 7 months ago
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The American Samoa Basketball Association (ASBA) under the management of president Milton Taufa'asau returned home this past Friday with not one, but two Championship titles in separate divisional competitions. ASBA prepped and readied four teams to represent American Samoa in Samoa's Independence Day Celebration last week, and they returned to the motherland this past weekend with much more than just honor - they came with bragging rights as well [read more]
The American Samoa Basketball Association (ASBA) under the management of president Milton Taufa'asau returned home this past Friday with not one, but two Championship titles in separate divisional competitions. ASBA prepped and readied four teams to represent American Samoa in Samoa's Independence Day Celebration last week, and they returned to the motherland this past weekend with much more than just honor - they came with bragging rights as well. Samoa News spoke to the secretary for ASBA, Paul Amituana'i - who noted that preparations for this journey took them four weeks. When asked about the selection of the teams to represent American Samoa in this event, Amituana'i said 'the Open Men and Women teams we selected to take with us - were picked from their overall performance during our previous Flag Day Basketball Tournament here on island.' He added 'all four teams we took with us, were the top teams in their divisional competitions during our previous Flag Day tournament'. Amituana'i said that the teams that competed in Samoa last week included an Under-18 Boys Team and an Under-18 Girls Team, managed under the supervision of Head Coaches Diehl Langkilde and Milton Taufa'asau. In the Open Divisional competition, ASBA selected the Open Mens Team - Pago Eagles, and the Open Womens Team - Ol Skool. The Women's team went on to be one of the victors in this annual event. Our local teams were welcomed with open arms according to Amituana'i, as they were hosted by Samoa's Basketball Association, at Rita's Lodge in Lotopa. A comfortable welcome was followed by a comfortable victory after two of the four teams that were selected came home with the Gold. 'For the young teams - our Under-18 Boys Team came out as Champions of their division after beating Samoa's Under-19 Team 39 - 18. Our Under-18 Girls Team came up short in 4th place', said Amituana'i. He added, 'There were only two teams in the Open Mens Division, and it was decided with a Best of 3 trial for our Pago Eagles, and Samoa's Open Mens Team. Unfortunately, Samoa won two straight victories to knock us out of the competition. In the Open Womens Division, our Ol Skool represented us well, after cleaning house by clinching the first two wins within a Best out of 3 ruling by the board and officials.' According to Amituana'i, there were only two teams that competed in the Open Womens Division- our Ol Skool team and Samoa's team. 'We won the first game 40 - 20 - but the second game was a challenge. Their second meeting went into overtime, but our women's team managed to pull through and defeated Samoa's team 35-33 in overtime to officially close that divisional competition, as our girls were champions.' Samoa News asked Amituana'i what ASBA's main focus was, heading into this tournament, and he responded 'representing American Samoa was the overall morale that boosted all four teams to come to this tournament. Representing our island, our families, and communities here was the highlight of every athlete that was part of this event.' He went on to say, 'some of the players we took with us had their first experience within the International Basketball Tournaments - outside of American Samoa. We had a few veterans who participated, but it was nothing more nothing less - our focus was to win and nothing else.' Amituana'i concluded 'on behalf of the American Samoa Basketball Association, I'd like to send out our warmest acknowledgements and fa'afetai tele lava to the president of Samoa's Basketball Association, Tala Pauga for a great tournament and for their welcoming hospitality.' He concluded 'our thanks and acknowledgements also go out to all the parents and friends who helped out during our fundraising activities in the effort of making this trip possible - our gratitude as well goes out to the board members of our American Samoa Basketball Association - as well as Pago Eagles Coach and Manager Michael Pereira (ASBA Board Member) and Wally Taufa'asau. A special thanks also goes out to the Manager of Ol Skool's team Meleisha Purcell Telefoni as well as our local officials from the association that participated: Tevita Siale, Jacklyn Hunt, as well as myself.' Courtesy of: Samoa Basketball Association
American Samoan National Team 2015#s# King Ale Ale Moorer #e#4 Anne Mendoza Desiree Ale Destiny King 178-G Hawaii Hotia Vaaimamao Kadrenna Velega Kristen Ale 170-G-93 Cal Poly - SLO Margaritta Viena Rheina Ale 172-G-90 Teriana Iafeta Tipesa Moorer 177-F Valentine Talamoni [read more]
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