Sprite All-Star Comes to a Successful Close

The All-Star Game of the Sprite Super League, the basketball competition held among students and young people, took place at the new sports palace in Buyant-Ukhaa on March 31.

The East beat the West 54:53 in the All-Star Game.

Around 300 players from 20 teams are competing in this year’s Sprite Super League, the basketball competition held by MCS Coca-Cola and the TLG-13 NGO. The All-Star Game of the competition, which aims to instill a healthy, active lifestyle in children and young people, was held for the sixth time this year. Packed with exciting basketball contests and performances, the All-Star Game at the new sports palace in Buyant-Ukhaa was enjoyed by a crowd of some 5,000 spectators.

Seven players took part in the three-point contest between the league’s best shooters. Udaanjargal of CAA scored 10 points, while N. Borkhuu of Mongolians, N. Ligden of Montorkh and A. Altangerel of Soldiers each scored 9 to reach the final. In the final, N. Borkhuu of Mongolians scored 11 points to win the three-point contest and take MNT 500,000 and other prizes. Otgontenger, Panasonic, Erdenedriiling and Mega Stars took part in the team shooting contest, in which teams shoot from five spots. Panasonic finished in 34 seconds and Mega Stars in 31 seconds to reach the final. In the final, Panasonic completed the task in 55 seconds.

Mega Stars finished in 48 seconds to win the team shooting contest. The slam dunk contest, in which five imports from the National Super League took part, produced some very entertaining performances. In the first round each player performed two dunks. Devon Clark and Decorey Jones each scored 90 and were eliminated, while Marcus Hammonds scored 91, Freddie Woods 92 and Kendrick Black 97 to reach the final. In the final each player performed a single dunk: Freddie Woods scored 40, Marcus Hammonds 48 and Kendrick Black 48. With two players tied, they each performed one more dunk. Marcus Hammonds scored 48, while Kendrick Black leapt over two children for a perfect 50 to win the slam dunk contest.

The 24 best players from the West and East took part in this year’s All-Star Game. In a fiercely contested game, the East team, coached by P. Erdenechuluun and J. Otgondari, won 54-53 by a single point. They won MNT 1 million, which they are donating to build a basketball court at a children’s care center.

A. Temuujin of Panasonic was named All-Star Most Valuable Player and received a prize of MNT 1 million.

The All-Star Game was hosted by E. Tsolmonbayar and A. Unurjargal, with performances by rapper Rokit Bay and live bands UFO and Green Mask. The Power Light team also brought Acro Dunk, a new act in Mongolia, delighting the crowd with spectacular dunks.