U20 basketball ready to rumble

NATIONAL Under 20 team captain Orisi Naivalurua will have a big task on hand in leading the Fiji Men's Basketball team to the Oceania meet in New Caledonia on November 1-7.

He is the only surviving member of the 2009 Oceania Men's team to be included in the Oceania age category meet.

Coach Saula Koroi says both the men and women's teams will participate in the tournament.

"We are rated high in the competition regarding our last South Pacific Games gold medal win in both categories," he says.

But with Australia and New Zealand in the competition, they will pose a threat to the national team's bid to claim victory.

"We'll be expecting a very strong competition and will settle for nothing less but a win."

Koroi says height is not a problem and the team has the experience and skills to outwit any opposition, if underestimated.

The national team's last victory in the Oceania competition was in 2002 in Tonga.

"It's almost eight years since victory has eluded us in the competition especially in the Oceania meet," Koroi said.

The tournament will have teams such as Australia, American Samoa, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Tahiti and New Caledonia.

The travelling team for the competition will consist of 10 players with two non-travelling reserves.

The team members are Orisi Naivalurua (captain), Josh Motufaga, Isireli Vuetibau, Henry Tabutuka, Neil Tudreu, Malakai Komainavure, Isa Daurewa, Gardner Whiteside, John Kunau and Jona Vunisa.




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