Butibam clashes with NS Busu in Lae men's basketball grand final

By BOB AARON in Lae

All roads leads to Niall Reserve Basketball Courts on Sunday as two neighouring Ahi villages – Butibam and   N S Busu ( Yanga) -  clash  in Lae  basketball premier men’s division grand final.

NS Busu's Percy Aaron shooting for basket in a recent game against Butibam at the Niall Reserve Courts.-Picture by PETER KESU SAYAMA

Busu are the defending champions having beaten Unitech Bulls for the major honour last year and are up against a team that is yet to lose a game this year.

All throughout this year, Butibam has beaten Busu two times during the regular season and their third victory was against them two weeks ago during the major semi- finals.

Busu on the hand have beaten Unitech Bulls and Red Beach last week to set up this meeting with their Tribal neighbours.

The last time both teams met in the grand final was in 2009 which Butibam won by a point.

Interestingly, the match up for both teams will be the battle between the two sets of brothers in opposite teams in which Butibam will be led by the Giali brothers in the likes of Kila, Noah and Joel up against the Aaron brothers of Percy, Wayne and their young sibling Jotham.

The Giali brothers are all over six feer and will try to donate the boards in both defence and offense.

Ably assisting them will be Hapo Maliaki, Apelis Stafford  and Ashley Boussougou.

Busu on the other hand have lofty Russel Stafford and his brother – in- law Junior Oscar and runaway train- Micheal Kmarma -  who would be handy around the boards and keyways.

In terms of heights, Butibam has the upper hand whilst Busu have speed and accuracy in outsider perimeter shoots in three pointers- something that Butibam must be fully aware of and must address quickly before and during the match.

In the women’s premier match, defending champions N S Busu lock horns with old rivals Unitech Bulls in the decider.

Both teams have not been consistence in their performances this year and a lot will depend on the day on who plays well and according to the game play will win the final match of the year.

Bulls boost Lousia Wallance, Nelly Jomsop, and sisters Esther and Vivian Guwae whilst Busu banks their hopes on Christie Oscar- Stafford, Angeline Marupi, Martha Bonga- Narakou and veterans Martha Aaron and Mary-Elavo Amos

In the under 20 divisions, N S Busu takes on Butibam in the boys whilst Exodus battles N S Busu in the girls.