Fiji Ready For New Caledonia: Hughes
The Fiji women’s basketball team is in a good position for today’s game against New Caledonia in the FIBA Melanesian Cup.
Wednesday 26 October 2022 | 12:00
Members of the Fiji women’s basketball team during their training session at the Vodafone Arena on October 25, 2022. Photo: Leon Lord.
The Fiji women’s basketball team is in a good position for today’s game against New Caledonia in the FIBA Melanesian Cup.
They play at 5pm at the Vodafone Arena, Suva.
“This is crucial for us as it is the qualifier for next year’s Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands,” women’s head coach Earl Hughes said yesterday.
The side is laced with seasoned players including the Whippy sisters; Mikaelar and Letava, Leba Korovou and former Fijian Pearls shooter Matila Vocea.
“The lead up has been great this week especially,” he said.
“They are blending in very well and we are looking to carry that into our first game.
“I expect New Caledonia to come out firing. I am guessing they would want to make a statement to the host but we are looking forward to this challenge.
“We are in a very good position; we have home court advantage, we have our families that will come to watch, the girls are looking forward to that.
“The overseas-based players bring in a lot of experience, calm and a lot of certainties. The experience alone gets the younger girls fired up.”
He indicated that Mikaelar Whippy will captain the side.
Other matches today: Papua New Guinea women’s will face Solomon Islands at 12pm, while their respective men’s teams will take the court at 2:30pm.
Fiji men’s will take on New Caledonia at 7:30pm.
The top two teams at the FIBA Melanesian Cup will qualify for the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands. The Pacific Games then serves as the official qualifier for the Oceania region to the FIBA Asia Cup pre-qualifiers.
Feedback: sereana.salalo@fijisun.com.fj
