Fiji men suffers two consecutive losses
Basketball Fiji’s interim chief operations officer, William Peter said despite being given just four weeks to prepare, both squads are determined to leave their mark on the tournament.
Wednesday 15 October 2025 | 07:30
Fiji’s Filimoni Waqabaca (Jnr) flips a pass to Joshua Fox (right) during their match against Solomon Islands during their FIBA Melanesian Cup opener on October 13, 2025.
Photo: Basketball Fiji
The men’s basketball team suffered two consecutive losses at the FIBA Melanesian Cup tournament which is underway in Solomon Islands.
They opened their campaign with a narrow and hard-fought loss to hosts nation Solomon Islands, falling 67–70 in a game that went down to the wire on Monday.
Yesterday they were beaten by Papua New Guinea, 56-63.
Basketball Fiji’s interim chief operations officer, William Peter said despite being given just four weeks to prepare, both squads are determined to leave their mark on the tournament.
“Preparations were short but intense,” Peter said.
“It was a huge task for the coaches and management, but the teams are ready.”
Meanwhile, the women’s team kicked off their journey against PNG at 7:30pm last night after this edition went to press.
Peter said both squads were selected from the national team depth pool, with a focus on players who were game-ready.
“Given the limited preparation time, the coaching staff prioritised match fitness and competitive experience.”
He added both teams include several debutants—particularly in the women’s squad, which features promising new talents scouted during the Vodafone Fiji Secondary Schools Championships held in August.
Peter is calling on the nation’s fans and basketball community to rally behind the teams.
