HONIARA (Solomon Islands) - With less than two weeks until the basketball action at the Pacific Games gets underway, the host nation is busy preparing for the pinnacle sporting event in the region.

A whirlwind visit to Australian shores provided an opportunity for the Solomon Islands National Women’s Basketball team to gain valuable court time, with Head Coach Gregory Ramo Ofia impressed with how far the team has progressed since their last FIBA competition.

“We have been preparing as best we can for the Pacific Games, and this trip has really helped us gel together, and to try our on-court game plan out against another team,” Head Coach Ramo Ofia said. 

“We have been working on the basic fundamentals of basketball since the FIBA Melanesian Cup last year and the entire teams has been working hard and I believe, improved a lot.”

Former Australian Opal, Annie La Fleur recently travelled to Honiara with the support of PacificAus Sports to provide the national women’s team with valuable insights and skill development.

“Having Annie attend out national camp was helpful in providing our players with additional knowledge while also contributing to my development as a coach, her lessons were invaluable and we feel very fortunate for the ongoing support we have received in preparing for these Games,” Head Coach Ramo Ofia said.

Emerging youngster, Edelah Animamu said the team is well-balanced and poised for vast improvement since they last played together at the 2022 FIBA Melanesian Cup hosted in Fiji.

“The Mela Cup was a challenge as many of the players were new to the sport and very young,” Animamu said. “It was our first time experiencing a proper game and tournament, so from that event we have grown as a team over the past 12 months.”

Animamu is enthusiastic about the games and confident the well-balanced Solomon Islands outfit will perform well, a sentiment echoed by her coach who highlighted the following players to watch.

MONIQUE WANEFAI

Wanefai finished up at the 2022 FIBA Melanesian Cup with an average of 7 points and led the way for team Solos with 6.3 rebounds.  The 17-year-old will provide height and athleticism for her team mates to rely on and we will no doubt see her in action at future Pacific Games campaigns.

BRITNEY BASIA

Strong under the rim, Basia will gives the Solomon Islanders some much needed height and composure across the court.  She led assists for her team at the Melanesian Cup and has been improving her ability over the last 12 months to build on this.

MAYA VAN DEN HEEVER

The Pacific Games will be the third time Van Den Heever has represented the Solomon Islands following her debut as a 17-year-old at the 2014 FIBA Oceania U18 Women’s Championship.  An incredibly smart basketballer, Van Den Heever will play a pivotal role in how the team structures up on court, as well as providing valuable leadership.

JOYCELYN BASIA

The team’s top performer at the FIBA Melanesian Cup, Basia finished with an average of 10.8 points and 5.8 rebounds.  One of the team’s veteran players, her presence on the court will inspire her team to perform.

“Joycelyn has pushed herself a lot over the last 12 months, and I think she is much fitter, and her leadership is invaluable,” Head Coach Ramo Ofia said.

The 2023 Pacific Games will be hosted by Solomon Islands from November 19 – December 2.  The Pacific Games Basketball Tournament is the official qualifiers of the Oceania region to the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers.

FIBA