THE countless one on one battles on their family back yard court made the hoop dreams even bigger for the then chubby little kid, who started playing since he was in Class 5.

Whether it be in the mornings or after school
the familiar sound of shuffling sneakers
rhythmic Spaulding thuds on concrete
swishes of the net
and the cacophony of leather hitting the steel rim would frequently be heard at Extension St in Suva...clang clang

The kid's main rival and tormentor at that time was a much taller, bigger, and a current Fiji basketball representative, with a string of regional meets under his belt. This only made the boy compete even harder. His opponent, Mosese Sikivou, a perennial All Star of the basketball fraternity, fondly known as 'Mo' but to the boy, Dad.

Tui Sikivou has today grown from that chunky kid to a masculine 86kg yet slender built six foot shooting guard who is well on his way in creating his own identity by emulating the forays of his father during his career for both club and country.

Playing in different eras and different positions, they also brought contrasting styles to the hardwood.

The senior, a rangy six foot five power forward/centre had a great textbook mid range shot with strong low post game which added to his armoury. His back to the basket post up was usually finished off with a fluid turnaround jump shot or a strong drive to the rack. A trademark move for the older Sikivou or as son aptly put it "Dad's bread and butter move". Tui on the other hand brings a faster paced game, his quick first step creating ankle breaking pull up jumpers or slashing drives to the basket. The quickness of his game forces many defences to collapse around him and his passing game is astute enough to find the open shooter which he usually does with laser-like precision. This offensive swingman who models his game around his boyhood idol and former Detroit Piston guard, Richard Hamilton or RIP, has helped his Latter Day Saints team secure many league titles including a three-peat at the Easter Basketball Championships. This year the Saints are going for their fourth consecutive title.

While their differences are glaring there are subtle similarities, like the tenacity they both put up on defence, one a great shot blocker in the late eighties and nineties and the other using his deft footwork and speed to hassle and suffocate offences of today. While Tui claims to be the higher percentage shooter from the 3 point line, his old man was never hesitant to launch from beyond the arc.

While the pickup game has lost most of its intensity over the years, the same cannot be said for the competitiveness. Tui reluctantly admitted "Even today my dad still whips me in shoot-arounds but only shoot-arounds" While the debate and bragging rights may rage on for ages on who was the better allround player we leave it to this duo to settle it the only way most ballers know how. In the back yard court.

Tui, who is currently trialing for the 2015 Pacific Games in PNG, was a 24-year-old when he made his debut for Fiji in the 2011 South Pacific Games in Noumea and has not missed any call ups for national duties since. He has also come up the ranks with notable appearances in U20 Championships in NZ and the Oceania Games in 2006 and 2013 respectively. In the junior ranks Tui won a string of grade titles for his Yat Sen Secondary School.

The average age of the 2015 men's squad 23-26 and with Tui turning 28 in June, he is comfortable that the roles are somewhat reversed from his childhood days. Now tagged as one of the elder statesman of the squad Tui understands that age is not a factor with how hard you have to compete to beat the best. Just ask his dad.

If Tui is selected he will have to play and beat the best in Pacific to win gold at the Pacific Games which has eluded Fiji since 2007. A feat even his father did not achieve throughout his illustrious career.

The hoop dreams continues for this Rewa native and maybe more bragging rights are in store for his early tormentor.

Source: The Fiji Times Newspaper

4th March 2015