FIJI men’s basketball team will not have an easy run in their games at the Pacific Games in Samoa as they are pooled with the toughest teams in the Pacific.
After the release of the pool draws a few weeks ago, it has been confirmed that Fiji will be battling against Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tahiti.
Head coach Saula Koroi said the team would not be taking any teams lightly and had been preparing for their ‘pool of death’.
“I would say that we have a very tough pool for this Pacific Games because it is not like the previous ones as we have top teams from the region part of our pool,” the former national rep said.
“Tahiti is the champion team in the Polynesian tournament and Papua New Guinea are the champions for the Melanesian tournament so both of those teams are champion teams themselves, but we are not counting out Solomon Islands,” said Koroi.
The national team has a mixture of overseas players who are also training in their own respective clubs overseas.
“We have assembled a team that we have hope in and we know can take on and look forward to meeting our rivals.
“It is good that we have a mixture of experienced and new players that we know have the capability to perform well,” said Koroi.
Fiji lost in the final match against Guam in the 2015 Papua New Guinea Pacific Games.
Basketball is scheduled on July 8 to 17 at the Faleata Sports Complex in Apia.
Mens team:
Marika Binatagi, Joshua Fox, Conrad Fox, Mataika Komainavure, Joshua Motufaga, Orisi Naivalurua, Iliesa Sauleca, Henry Tabuduka, Isireli Vuetibau, Filimone Waqabaca, Leonard Whippy, Marques Whippy
