Tamaraws charge Amesii

The Moni Plus Tamaraws pulled off an 86-81 upset win over the CivPac Amesii in Round 3 of the Port Moresby Elite Basketball (PEB) men's fixture on Saturday, 7 June 2026, at Sir John Guise Stadium Indoor Complex.

In their pre-season encounter, Tamaraws dusted off the cobwebs and shocked the PEB’s back-to-back champions (Amesii), setting the tone for a promising start to their 2026 campaign. 

Entering the contest with two straight wins, the recharged Moni Plus-sponsored Tamaraws controlled the opening quarter, taking a 20-17 lead over the reigning champions.

Amesii found their mojo in the second quarter, overtaking the highly energized Tamaraws with a 42-38 lead at halftime.

Tamaraws regrouped in the third quarter and retook the lead (72-71), maintaining the momentum in the final stretch and putting the game beyond doubt with a hard-fought 86-81 win.

Morea Elavo, Moses Kairi, Martin Ben, and Michael Henry were efficient on the floor, helping the Tamaraws stun the competition’s heavyweights. The bench players also played key roles in upsetting Amesii.

On the contrary, Moses Lune, Anderson Hewe, Harold Elavo, Enoch Raka, and Augustine Kaupa used their experience to steal the win from Tamaraws, but fell short.

Former PNG's lethal shooter and current Tamaraws coach, Gabriel Elavo, mentioned that beating Amesii in the pre-season gave the team confidence, noting preparation and consistency.

“Coming into the game, we were confident because we beat them (Amesii) in the pre-season game,” Elavo said.

“We had a good preparation leading up to the game, knowing that it would be a competitive game, and if we stuck to our game plan, it would give us a good chance to win, and we did that. 

“Because of our preparation and team spirit, we beat Amesii, and we aim to win every week and be consistent in our performance.”

The high-flying Moni Plus Tamaraws will meet the red-hot Har Hurum Tribes Coffee in Round 5 of the elite competition on Sunday, June 21st, at Taurama Aquatic and Indoor Center.