Fijian All-Stars to do best

The Fijians in the Oceania All- Stars team departed for Canberra, Australia yesterday.
Families, friends and fans gathered at Ed’s Court in  Raiwaqa yesterday to farewell the team who will be  undertaking a five-day training camp at the Australian Institute of Sports (AIS) in Canberra before heading up to Aubury where the team will compete in the Australian Country Basketball Cup on January 15. Tiyana Kainamoli, 14, Kelera Koyamainavure, 16, Ro Maraia Naivaluvou, 19, Mataika Koyamainavure, 18, and Pita Sowakula, 18, will be part of the team. The five were selected after the Fiji Under-19 successful outing in the FIBA Pacific Youth Games in Melbourne Australia last month finishing the biannual event behind Australia and NZ to settle for a bronze medal.
Oceania All Stars women’s coach Laisiasa Puamau said they will do their best and not only making Fiji proud but the whole Oceania.“We will be joining players from other Pacific countries and will represent the Oceania so we will try our best to do well,”Puamau said. “For me as a coach, my mission now is to put together a good combination and make everyone happy.”
The FIBA Oceania All-Star team has been a traditional part of the FIBA Pacific Youth U19 Basketball Tournament with the aim of identifying the best crop of Pacific players, coaches, referees and managers.The team is selected by FIBA Oceania coaching staff members who scout players from all participating countries. Many players from around the Pacific (Guam, Tahiti, New Caledonia, PNG, Samoa, American Samoa and Fiji) who have come through this programme have been very successful in their basketball career. “Some of these players will definitely be signing new contracts after returning from the Oceania All Stars team,” Puamau added. Mereleni Waqairaiwai has been selected as the head of delegation of the Oceania men’s and women’s team