Last night “Amerika Samoa” was played at the Tuanaimato Gymnasium for the first time since the start of the Pacific Games, thanks to our gold winning womens basketball team who handed Fiji defeat 75-53 in a thrilling final.
Here’s how the MMG commentator called the final minute of the game.
Play Audioas-vs-fiji
A write up from Inside the Games says it was a fitting vengeance for American Samoa who bowed to tormentor Fiji in the 2015 Pacific Games champion to settle for a Silver Medal finish.
Motivated from that experience, American Samoa just would not let the Gold Medal slip from its way this time after shocking the Fijians with a 24-13 opening salvo.
But proving their championship pedigree, Fiji refused to just go down without a fight, limiting American Samoa to just six points in the second frame to make it a 28-30 ball game at the half.
Both teams traded blows since but American Samoa proved to be steadier team down the wire especially in the fourth quarter where they ran away with a 22-9 spree to successfully steal the Gold from the former champion.
Sarah Toeaina piled up 29 points and 12 rebounds to pace the American Samoans who completed a clean sweep of the tournament in the Pacific’s prestigious quadrennial basketball showpiece.
Leah Salanoa and Jazmine Davis also contributed big time with 14 and 13 markers, respectively.
The newest Pacific Games titlist American Samoa along with Fiji have now booked their tickets to the Division B of the International Basketball Federation Women’s Asia Cup as the top two teams this edition.
In tennis yesterday Kalani Sili won her singles match against PNG 6-2, 6-3, and Kalani then teamed up with Charity Sagiao in doubles to beat Samoa 6-0, 6-0. Our chances of winning another medal in tennis is alive with Charity and Kalani.
In mens volleyball American Samoa defeated Kiribati 3-1 and handed Wallis and Futuna defeat 3-0. Meanwhile our women lost to Solomons Islands 3-0 yesterday.
They were also unsuccessful earlier in the week, losing to Tahiti 1-3 and to New Caledonia 2-3.
In boxing Taala won in a points decision against Fiji in the heavy weight yesterday. 
And our netball team made a great improvement on the scoreboard but not enough to win. They went down to Solomon Islands 28-74.
