Tubusereia girls claim NCD Amateur Basketball Competition

Tubusereia’s Lakwahuru Spartans snatched the inaugural NCD Amateur Second Tier Basketball title after defeating Kaugere’s Southern Sailors with a 41-36 margin in the Grand Final on Thursday, 1 October 2026, at Taurama Aquatic and Indoor Center. 

Lakwahuru and Sailors opened the first quarter with single digits, with both sides showcasing strong defensive efforts. The Tubusereia girls took a 9-8 lead over the Kaugure women at the end of the first quarter.

The arm wrestle continued in the second quarter. The Sailors overtook Lakwahuru with a 20-19 lead at halftime before the resilient Tubusereia girls retook the lead in the third quarter (30-26) and closed out the game with a 5-point victory.

Junior national representative players featuring Alice Mea, Lahui Hekwa, and Ammylee Peruka, used their international experience to guide Lakwahuru to championship glory. Alice, in particular, was a threat across the floor. She not only helped her team win the competition but also walked away with the MVP Award. 

For Sailors, the junior national player Luan Muri stepped up to the challenge, supported by Samantha Avae, Maine Eka, and Mary Moses. They played a key role in leading the Kaugere girls to the grand final but fell short.

The village-based team’s hard work has paid off, with coach Lega Hekwa expressing satisfaction with his determined girls’ hard-fought victory against a very skillful and competitive Sailors’ outfit. 

“Before the grand final, I told the girls that we come from a dusty basketball court to compete in the state-of-the-art facility, and I think they delivered upon my expectations, so I am very happy for them,” the proud coach said.

“Back in the village, we have a homemade basketball court, and we usually play and train on the ground barefoot. This is one of the motivational factors that pushed us to give our best in the competition.

“We love basketball. It's part of us. Our goal now is to produce young, aspiring players for the national level, and that is one of the main reasons why we took part in the NCD Amateur Basketball competition.”

Coach Hekwa explained that most of the girls are junior players competing in the Port Moresby Women’s Basketball Association (PoMWBA). Witnessing the youthful side winning the inaugural amateur competition was an overwhelming feeling for coach Hekwa.

The coach thanked the Basketball Federation of Papua New Guinea (BFPNG) under President David Peter’s leadership. He also commended the technical officials, the fans, and dedicated the title to Tubusereia village.  

He acknowledged the competition’s major sponsor, China Railway Construction Engineering Group (CRCEG), for its support throughout the season, creating opportunities for village-based clubs like Lakwahuru to unearth raw talent in the city competition.

Established in 2004, Tubusereia is a basketball-loving community in Central Province’s Koiari-Hiri District that has been actively participating in the city competition. The Lakwaharu Spartans are the only team from outside the nation's capital to take part in the NCD Amateur competition, which is dominated by Port Moresby-based teams.