The Federated States of Micronesia submitted a men team for the upcoming 2007 South Pacific Games which will be held in Samoa but the federation had to withdraw the team due to financial reason. This is of course a very bad news, one year before the 2008 FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament which will be held in Guam.
The Federated States of Micronesia submitted a men team for the upcoming 2007 South Pacific Games which will be held in Samoa but the federation had to withdraw the team due to financial reason. This is of course a very bad news, one year before the 2008 FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament which will be held in Guam.
SPG Participating countries: American Samoa Cook Islands Fiji Guam New Caledonia Palau Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tahiti
Some people in the various Federated States of Micronesia, and maybe some of our readers, are wondering why the micronesian states are sending teams to the international basketball tournament since they are unable to win a game. The federation is trying hard to improve the game in the country and playing hard and doing their best is the much you can ask for a basketball player.
Some people in the various Federated States of Micronesia, and maybe some of our readers, are wondering why the micronesian states are sending teams to the international basketball tournament since they are unable to win a game. The federation is trying hard to improve the game in the country and playing hard and doing their best is the much you can ask for a basketball player. Playing in the major South Pacific Tournament is already a victory for Micronesia.
Why sending a team if this team would loose every game, why spending money to send 12 players to another country if they are unable to come back with a medal? Legandary Green Bay Packer football coach Vince Lombardi is famous for his statement about how important it is to win. What most don't know is that he said the second greatest thing is to lie on the field defeated, but having given everthing, your best, in the pursuit of victory. The Olympics does not talk about winning but about participating. The federation thinks to the small FSM states team has earn a lot of experience during the Microgames and the united Micronesia national team will be much better in the upcoming tournament. This summer, FSM Basketball Federation submitted a proposal to the country Olympic comittee outlining a plan for national men and women's teams to compete in the 2007 Pacific Games in Samoa. In the FSM Games and Micronesian Games the four states of the FSM - Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei & Yap - compete separately. It is not until the Pacific Games, or an Oceania basketball tournament, that there is the opportunity for the FSM to select national teams. It is obvious that national teams are stronger than one state team, and it provides the opportunity for the elite basketball players of our nation to experience a more competitive level of basketball. Thus, this national basketball program is the next logical step in the development of the sport.
This summer Kosrae played in the 2006 Microgames Basketball Tournament in the Northern Marianas Island and was the best of the federated states of Micronesia. The team led by the Kibby brothers managed to reach the semifinals but was unable to steal a medal. Let's make a recap of Kosrae performances there.
This summer Kosrae played in the 2006 Microgames Basketball Tournament in the Northern Marianas Island and was the best of the federated states of Micronesia. The team led by the Kibby brothers managed to reach the semifinals but was unable to steal a medal. Let's make a recap of Kosrae performances there.
Recap: Kosrae is a family team with 3 Kibby brothers, 2 Palik and 2 Alokoa but this team os missing one thing the most: deep. The coach has to play with 6 players for most of the games while the others 6 didn't bring much out of the bench. Center Freddy Kibby is the team's leader and go-to-guy, a real powerhouse in the paint able to score, get the rebounds and find the open teamates. A strong Guam team cut him off the ball, in the semifinal against the guamese he only shot 12 times while he shot 20 times in the other games. His brother Terrence Kibby was a great help for him, especially in the pool phase. He averaged 16.0ppg 44.7%FG in the first three games but only 7.0ppg 26.3%FG in the last two. Terrence is a good player, he needs to be more constant to provide a solid second option but he was the team's best man in defense and played 36 minutes per game which is pretty tiring in the South Pacific weather. Ari Skilling was a perfect addition to this two inside players, he could hit the open shots and play a solid defense but he's not a leader and can't create his own shots like the Kibby brothers. In the backcourt the brothers Kilafwa Palik and Alik Palik were able to bring their energy and some good passes to the Kibbys in the paint. While Alik is a very self-control player, Kilafwa needs to work on his shot selection (23.0%FG). The only valuable player on the bench was Harry Elley who split the playing time with Skilling at the small-forward position, Elley is a good offensive player who brings a much needed spark from the bench. The other bench players were only playing some short minutes, they were unable to improve their team but at least they were able to give some minutes to rest for the starting-five players. Andy Kang was the most consistent and important of them as a back-up for Freddy Kibby, Yoshiro Alokoa played on the wings while Robson Abraham played as a guard. The last three players, Jacobson Kibby, Livingston Alokoa and Primo Palik, didn't see much of the court during the week. Kosrae has six valuable players, a solid inside duo with Terrence and Freddy Kibby but this is not enough to claim a medal in the Microgames. As the other micronesian states like Yap, Pohnpei and Chuuk, Kosrae would be unable to compete under its own flag in the major FIBA Oceania tournaments and all these states should continue to play under the united Federated States of Micronesia banner.
This summer Yap played in the Micronesian Basketball Tournament held in the Northern Marianas Island. The small state was winless during this event but showed a nice level of play led by some interesting players. Yap is just missing a better defense and a deeper bench.
This summer Yap played in the Micronesian Basketball Tournament held in the Northern Marianas Island. The small state was winless during this event but showed a nice level of play led by some interesting players. Yap is just missing a better defense and a deeper bench.
Recap: Five games, five losses, one can say that Yap's tournament was a nightmare but I tend to disagree with that. Yap lost only by 1 against RMI, the future Bronze medal winner, and the team displayed a great offensive play. Yap's style is based on shooting, when they hit the shots they can be dangerous but when the shots goes off they are in big trouble. Big trouble because defence seems to be a forbidden word for this team. No pressure, no defensive rebounding and a predictable offense, that was too much for Yap. The backcourt is made of Kamal Walton and Erick Ruepong, JJ Yatilman and Johanes Waayam being their backups. Ruepong was a solid second option behind Morri Money, this shooting guard can hit the shots and grabb some rebounds. Kamal Walton was the sarting PG, unfortunatly he only played in 3 games but he was the team's leader in assists. JJ Yatilman had to step up to replace him and made a good tournament. Johanes Waayan provided a little help from the bench while his brother James didn't play at all. On the wings, Morri Money teamed-up with Andrew Ruepong while Calvert Gibeyog, Mathias Yugbay and Sylvester Ruethin were on the bench. Morri Money was the team's leading scorer and obvious MVP, he's was one of the top players during this tournament and shot for 47.6% from the field, which is pretty rare in this event. Andrew Ruepong is more a team player but when he's hot, he can blow many defenses like he did against CNMI with 31pts 16rbs. On the bench, Gilbeyog was a good back-up while Yugbay and Ruethin didn't play much. Andrew Ruepong also played some minutes as center to replace the starting 5, his brother, Arthur Ruepong. He's a pretty good player, able to set the picks and do the dirty works but he needs to work on his awful shooting skills. The last true center of the roster, Mark Fithing, played only 22 minutes overall in this tournament.
Earlier this summer, Pohnpei participated in the 2006 Micronesian Basketball Tournament in the Northern Marianas Islands. The team lead by scoring forward Kelvin Sam only won two games there and ended the tournament at the 7th spot.
Earlier this summer, Pohnpei participated in the 2006 Micronesian Basketball Tournament in the Northern Marianas Islands. The team lead by scoring forward Kelvin Sam only won two games there and ended the tournament at the 7th spot.
Results: Pool phase: Pohnpei -Yap: 94-82 JR Sonden 27pts 11/26FG 9rbs Tom Mawi 25pts 9/14FG 10rbs
Pohnpei - Guam: 53-103 Kelvin Sam 21pts 10/24FG JR Sonden 12pts 3/15FG
Pohnpei - RMI: 63-77 Tom Mawi 15pts 5/10FG 7rbs Kelvin Sam 13pts 5/14FG 5rbs
Recap: Pohnpei has a solid starting five but a very weak bench, 6th man Wallace Jacob being the only valuable contributor. Unfortunatly, none of the starter was consistent enough to lead the team during the entire tournament and the team missed a go-to-guy in the important moments. Kelvin Sam scored a tournament-high 44pts in the classification games and hit 21pts vs a strong Guam team but he needs to be more a leader on the floor. In the backcourt, JR Sonden and Cassidy Shoniber showed some nice stuffs but they seemed limitted against strong defences like Guam or RMI. Inside, Tomasi Mawi was a nice anchor in the paint while Branson Amida proved that he's a strong rebounder at the Micronesian standarts.
Four micronesian states played in the Microgames Basketball Tournament in the Northern Marianas Islands. Let's make a recap of the games of the Chuuk team there. Chuuk was drawn in a very tough group and took the 6th place in the classification games. The best chuukeses players were Ravin Narruhn, Keitani Graham, Rudolph Daichy and Jon Akapito.
Four micronesian states played in the Microgames Basketball Tournament in the Northern Marianas Islands. Let's make a recap of the games of the Chuuk team there. Chuuk was drawn in a very tough group and took the 6th place in the classification games. The best chuukeses players were Ravin Narruhn, Keitani Graham, Rudolph Daichy and Jon Akapito.
Pool phase: Chuuk - CNMI: 72-106 In the opening game, Chuuk was unable to stop an high-flying CNMI offense. Thanks to the home-crowd, the Northern Marianas reached half-time on a 56-33 lead. Chuuk managed to cut down this lead to 16 points but CNMI won the last quarter 30-12 to seal its win. Rudolph Daichy was Chuuk's leading scorer with 21pts 8/16FG and 10rbs, Jon Akapito scored 18pts 7/22FG and Ravin Narruhn added 17pts 7/12FG.
Chuuk - Palau: 57-73 Chuuk made a better defensive game but they were awful on the offensive end, the team shot only 25.9% from the field and was dominated on the rebounds (41 to 66). Rudolph Daichy was again the leading scorer with 14pts 6/16FG 9rbs, Keitani Graham posted 13pts 4/14FG 8rbs while Ravin Narruhn added 7pts 2/10FG 7rbs. Jon Akapito had a nightmare offensive game with only 2pts and 1/16FG!
Chuuk - Kosrae: 59-84 Already eliminated from the playoffs, Chuuk wanted to end the pool phase with a win against their micronesian brothers Kosrae. But Kosrae made a great game on the offensive end shooting for 54.8% from the field, they only took shots close to the basket (only 4 three-point shots attempts) and Chuuk was unable to stop them in the paint. Keitani Graham lead his team with 16pts 6/11FG 7rbs, Ravin Narruhn netted 11pts, Jon Akapito added 9pts 4/12FG while Rudolph Daichy only scored 6pts 3/19FG!
Classification games: Chuuk - Pohnpei: 87-79 That was a close game between these two micronesian states but the chuukeses managed to make the break in the last quarter. Chuuk shot for 38.1%FG and was again dominated on the board (38 to 48). Ravin Narruhn was playing better and better in this tournament, he recorded 31pts 11/22FG 16rbs in this game. He received a great help from Keitani Graham who scored 25pts 9/23FG. Jon Akapito netted 11pts while Arsan Kakku and Pk Inaiso both scored 7pts.
Chuuk - CNMI: 75-86 Chuuk has to face again the host nation in the 5th place game and again CNMI came out of the game as winner. They shot better (51.% to 28.7%FG) and took more rebounds (61-52) but the chuukeses played together and managed to keep this game pretty close. Ravin Narruhn scored 23pts 9/17FG 10rbs, Keitani Graham 22pts and Jon Akapito 12pts.
Players recap:
Chuuk had some good players on its roster, unfortunatly they were not at their best at the same time. Ravin Narruhn averaged 11.7ppg in the pool phase and 27.0ppg in the classification game while Rudolph Daichy made the opposite: 13.7ppg in the pool and 2.0ppg after! Narruhn was the best player of the squad in this tournament. He had to play also as center due to the lack of height of this team. On the wings, Rudolph Daichy started well but was unable to contribute in the last games maybe because of the lack of physical preparation. Keitani Graham was a more reliable option on the wings, he liked to attack the basket and also participate in the rebounding effort. The PG Jonathon Akapito made some interesting games, he run the squad and managed to score in double-figures but his shooting skills must be improved. The last member of the starting five Arsan Kakku was more a team-player, he was the last option offensively but he provided some good minutes. The bench was the weak to compete for the medals, only 3 bench players played all games and only Pk Inaisao was a valuable help. The back-up center showed a lot of energy, he took some board and shot pretty well. Edmond Edmund and Curtis Graham were no factors on the offensive end while the other players (Esiwiny, Phaymind, Nakamura and Maras) didn't play enough to contribute.
In the major Oceania tournament, the Federated States of Micronesia are playing under one flag but in the Microgames competition, each state is playing under is own banner. Four states came to the Northern Marianas Island to play the Basketball tournament: Kosrae, Chuuk, Yap and Pohnpei. Here are the rosters of each Micronesia states. We will cover their game in this tourney on this page.
In the major Oceania tournament, the Federated States of Micronesia are playing under one flag but in the Microgames competition, each state is playing under is own banner. Four states came to the Northern Marianas Island to play the Basketball tournament: Kosrae, Chuuk, Yap and Pohnpei. Here are the rosters of each Micronesia states. We will cover their game in this tourney on this page.
Kosrae National Team: Alik Palik Andy Kang Ari Skilling Freddy Kibby Harry Elley Jacobson Kibby Kilafwa Palik Livingston Alokoa Primo Palik Robson Abraham Terrence Kibby Yoshiro Alokoa
Chuuk National Team: Arsan Kakku Curtis Graham Edmond Edmund Jonathon Akapito Kachit Nakamura Keitani Graham Marvin Phaymind Matu Esiwiny Pk Inaiso Ravin Narruhn Rudolph Daichy Soster Maras
Pohnpei National Team: Benji Peterson Bob Celestine Branson Amida Cassidy Schoniber David Actouka Erwin Alex Jason Walter JR Sonden Kelvin Sam Tomasi Mawi Wallace Jacob
Yap National Team: Andrew Ruepong Arthur Ruepong Calvert Gilbeyog Erick Ruepong FJ Yatilman James Waayam Johanes Waayam Kamal Walton Mark Fithing Mathias Yugbay Morri Money Silvester Ruethin
On April 14, 2006 the FSM Basketball Federation submitted a proposal to the FSMNOC outlining a plan for national men and women's teams to compete in the 2007 Pacific Games in Samoa.
The plan is another important step in the establishment of a national basketball program that is designed to carry FSM basketball to the next level.
On April 14, 2006 the FSM Basketball Federation submitted a proposal to the FSMNOC outlining a plan for national men and women's teams to compete in the 2007 Pacific Games in Samoa. The plan is another important step in the establishment of a national basketball program that is designed to carry FSM basketball to the next level. In the FSM Games and Micronesian Games the four states of the FSM - Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei & Yap - compete separately. It is not until the Pacific Games, or an Oceania basketball tournament, that there is the opportunity for the FSM to select national teams. It is obvious that national teams are stronger than one state team, and it provides the opportunity for the elite basketball players of our nation to experience a more competitive level of basketball. Thus, this national basketball program is the next logical step in the development of the sport. FIBA Oceania showed it strong support in a letter to the FSMNOC in which it pointed out that: * Basketball has the opportunity to provide gender equity. * Basketball has been one of the most watched team sports at both the SPG and Mini SPGs. * This event will give them the opportunity to broaden the community appeal of basketball, increase popularity and show the Federated States of Micronesia how the game should be played. Basketball is one of the few sports in the FSM which is dedicated to the idea of national teams. The FSMBF believes that the selection of the very best players from throughout the nation will result in more competitive teams, allow for these teams to compete in more diverse and a higher level of competition and, most important, develop a sense of nationalism. (Courtesy of sportingpulse)
Guam defeated its most likely foe for the gold medal, as the host team scored a 100-72 dumping of defending champion Palau in the 2004 Micronesian Basketball Tournament at University of Guam Field House.
Guam finished with a 3-0 record to top Pool A. They are the only team that reached 100 points in the games.
Guam defeated its most likely foe for the gold medal, as the host team scored a 100-72 dumping of defending champion Palau in the 2004 Micronesian Basketball Tournament at University of Guam Field House. Guam finished with a 3-0 record to top Pool A. They are the only team that reached 100 points in the games. Palau badly needed the win in order to get the chance to enter the medal round and defend the title they had won in the 2000 edition. The loss tied them with Pohnpei and Yap with similar 1-2 slates. What was to be a tightly-fought match among gold medal favorites turned into a rout as Guam used a 25-12 second quarter scoring run to turn a 16-19 first quarter deficit to a 44-28 halftime advantage. It was Guam’s first time to be trailing in the week-long tournament. Guam finally broke the game wide open when EJ Calvo and Francis Reyes alternated in bombarding Palau with 3-pointers in the third quarter. “I expected them to come out hard. This was a meaningful game for them. Plus they just came off an overtime win (over Pohnpei). They came out strong,” Guam head coach Bob Pelkey said. “We got a lot of respect for Palau. We got so many friends over there. And the one thing you learn about basketball is you don’t like to lose to your friends.” Palau’s downfall happened when top gunners Sunshine Soalablai and Yutaka Gibbons Jr. had to sit early in the second quarter due to foul trouble. Both players have been averaging 20 points per game in Palau’s last two matches. “We made too many turnovers. We couldn’t capitalize on (their) mistakes. We just have to play more games against teams like Guam. The more we play better teams, the more better we’re going to get,” said Palau head coach Topps Sungino. Gibbons and Soalablai scored 16 and 15 points each before fouling out in the fourth period. Joey Cepeda and Scott Stern had 14 points apiece to lead Guam’s balanced scoring attack. Willie Stinnet, Calvo and Seve Susuico all finished with 11 points each. Guam will face Kosrae in the playoffs today at 7 p.m. while the Republic of the Marshall Islands battle the second placer of Pool A with the winners entering the gold medal game also at 7 p.m. RMI topped Pool B, 3-0, after scoring an easy 93-68 victory over Chuuk. Gabriel Lait had 18 points to pace RMI while Robert Pinho and Jonathan Nathan added 14 and 10 points each. Chuuk, which lost all of its three games, got a game-high 28 points from Keitani Graham and 12 more from Muritok Muritok. CNMI, meanwhile, kissed their gold medal hopes goodbye after absorbing a heartbreaking 67-55 loss to Kosrae. CNMI ended with a 1-2 mark as they dropped out of contention in the medal race. The best place they could finish is at fifth. Had CNMI won the game they would secure second place in Pool B. CNMI even led 31-26 at halftime but went cold in the third quarter as Kosrae outscored them, 10-27. Tarance Kibby made 14 points, Harry Elley chipped in 12 points while Kilafwa Palik and Freddie Kibby contributed 11 and 10 each. Abong Camacho led CNMI with a game-high 19 points while Mark Wallace finished with 13. Pohnpei edged Yap, 82-80, in the other men’s game. Kelvin Sam netted 20 points to lead Pohnpei while Daystone Roby and Benjamin Lukas contributed 17 apiece. Yap got a game-high 26 points from Kamal Walton with Morri Money and Arhur Ruepong ending with 19 and 14 markers each
