Basketball eyeing Honiara as 2023’s major event

Pacific Games squads yet to finalised, says official
THE Basketball Federation of Papua New Guinea’s (BFPNG) main focus for 2023 will be to prepare its men’s and women’s teams for the Pacific Games in Solomon Islands.
Both senior men’s and women’s national team qualified for the event in 2023 following their overall performance in the Fiba Melanesian Cup held in Fiji in October this year.
BFPNG executive officer Miskus Lapan told The National yesterday that both squads were yet to be finalised in preparation for the Honiara event which would take place in November.
“At the moment we haven’t finalised the teams yet,” Lapan said.
“The board will go through the list and we will send it to PNG Olympic Committee for justification.
“Once this process is completed we will make the announcement for the Pacific Games for both the men’s and women’s national teams.
“After returning to international tournaments for the first time since 2019, our teams did well in the Mela Cup and we anticipate the same for the Pacific Games. So we’re looking at starting preparations early once the board endorses the list.”
PNG will be playing among other Pacific Island countries as well as Australia and New Zealand who will participate at the Pacific Games.
BFPNG has made progress this year despite the impacts and aftermath of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) coupled with ongoing challenges.
Additionally, the national federation has been given the right to host the Under-17 Fiba Oceania Championships with 10 countries including Australia and New Zealand to send teams to the tournament slated for September next year.
BFPNG also has on its calendar the Corporate Twilight Hoops programme for the 5×5 version of the game to be bigger and better next year, and is looking to introduce a 3×3 version moving forward as part of its healthy lifestyle strategy.
Meanwhile, the BFPNG will recruit a female Hoops for Health programme coordinator next year after consulting Fiba Oceania, as women’s participation and engagement is a vital area of development as per the BFPNG’s Strategic Plan.
The national federation is also keen to increase the number of affiliated associations across the country especially in areas where the code does not yet have a formal presence which will help build interest in basketball and expand it.