American Samoa hosts annual tournament

Leone beats Outkast 85-76 to clinch the 2009 Moso’oi basketball title - from Samoa News

Leone came from behind in the fourth quarter of the Moso’oi Basketball Tournament finals, to defeat Outkast 85-76 and clinch the title in this year’s competition meant to uplift the spirits of the youth in the wake of the Sept. 29 disasters.

Games began in October, part of activities for the 2009 Moso’oi Tourism Festival. The Moso’oi basketball competition was hosted by the American Samoa Community College Athletics Department led by Ed Imo and the American Samoa Visitors Bureau, led by CEO David Vaeafe.

The purpose of the competition was to uplift the spirits of the youth in the wake of the tsunami and earthquake. This a big win for Leone, a village that was among the worst affected by the natural disasters with widespread damage and loss of life.

The excitement of the preceding semi-final game featuring the same teams surpassed that of the final. It was a close match that went into double overtime, Leone emerging with a 109-106 win.

Leone needed to beat Outkast twice in this double elimination competition. In a previous match Outkast edged Leone by just one point, 84-83. It was Leone’s only loss in the tournament.

Leone now holds both titles in the tourism festival basketball competitions hosted in American Samoa and Samoa — in the territory’s Moso’oi Festival and the Teuila Festival hosted by Samoa each September.