The Nauru Basketball Association will not send the women and men national team in the 2007 South Pacific Games in Samoa. Nauru hasn't played in a major FIBA Oceania event since 2001 where both men and women team did not record a single win.
The Nauru Basketball Association will not send the women and men national team in the 2007 South Pacific Games in Samoa. Nauru hasn't played in a major FIBA Oceania event since 2001 where both men and women team did not record a single win.
Candidate countries for the 2007 SP Games men tournament: American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Fiji Guam Northern Marianas New Caledonia Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tahiti Palau Marshall Islands
The Nauru Island Basketball Association (NIBA) new members are enthusiastic in reviving basketball on the island. Hon. Mr Fredrick Pitcher MP has been elected as the federation president, he is a Cabinet Minister in the Nauru Government elected in late 2004, being responsible for the portfolios of Commerce, Industry & Resources.
The new members are:
President - Hon.
The Nauru Island Basketball Association (NIBA) new members are enthusiastic in reviving basketball on the island. Hon. Mr Fredrick Pitcher MP has been elected as the federation president, he is a Cabinet Minister in the Nauru Government elected in late 2004, being responsible for the portfolios of Commerce, Industry & Resources.
The new members are: President - Hon. Mr Frederick Pitcher MP V/ President - Hon. Mr Mathew Batsuia MP Secretary General - Mr Godwyn Debao Assistant Secretary - Mrs. Flora Ika Treasurer - Mrs. Denise Jones A / Treasurer - Mrs. Janet Hubert
Mr pitcher has been playing basketball at all levels for the past 20 years, including for the Nauru National Team, and stints with clubs in New York, Japan, Manila and Australia. Fredrick still plays competitively on Nauru and enjoys teaching the young kids a lesson or two!! Both Fredrick and the committee are looking forward to working with FIBA Oceania and others in developing the game further on Nauru.
Last Friday, Nauru hosted the Independence Day tournament featuring 24 female teams and 24 male teams which was 2 men's and 2 women's teams from each district on Nauru. source: Dominic Cain, Nauru NOC.
It was a very successful tournament, with the men's team from Boe district winning their final and the women's team from Anabar Distict winning the girls division.
Last Friday, Nauru hosted the Independence Day tournament featuring 24 female teams and 24 male teams which was 2 men's and 2 women's teams from each district on Nauru. source: Dominic Cain, Nauru NOC.
It was a very successful tournament, with the men's team from Boe district winning their final and the women's team from Anabar Distict winning the girls division. This was one of the biggest competitions ever conducted on the island. The basketball players on Nauru are looking forward to the arrival of ZDO Jon Hoyle soon and are currently planning his schedule.
FIBA Oceania Zone Development Officer just came back from a trip to Nauru, he made an update on the basketball situation in this country on FIBA Oceania's website. He also went to the Solomon Islands and the situation is pretty much the same on both countries.
FIBA Oceania Zone Development Officer just came back from a trip to Nauru, he made an update on the basketball situation in this country on FIBA Oceania's website. He also went to the Solomon Islands and the situation is pretty much the same on both countries.
"While both countries have severe financial difficulties affecting the quality of life for their citizens at the moment, it is heartening to report that basketball is thriving in both places. Everyday life is filled with eight-hour cuts to power and water as the population struggles to make ends meet. Yet rather than moping about feeling sorry or depressed, a gung-ho spirits exists within the basketball communities where people play for fun. If power cuts occur before or during games, the teams and crowds wait patiently in the dark for up to two hours for the lights to come back on [...] In Solomon Islands and Nauru they play because of the right reason - a love of the game" said Jon Hoyle. "On the tiny island of Nauru there have been 26 men's teams and 10 women's teams compete all year. More teams are wanting to join the competition, but because of dilapidated facilities they cannot be accommodated. It is true to say that the sport is thriving. It has been over two years since a ZDO visit and with Nauru teams not participating in international competitions during that period, the major focus of my trip was to update the participants to the many rules changes that have occured since 2003. Both are desperate for assistance to upgrade their playing facilities, and seeing the healthy participation base being developed, our help in that area should be a priority" source: FIBA Oceania
While Nauru had the great idea to send two teams to Australia to play in the 2005 Pacific School Games in Melbourne, they had to withdraw from the tournament because of financial issues. The teams were supposed to play in the U12 Boys and U12 Girls tournaments.
While Nauru had the great idea to send two teams to Australia to play in the 2005 Pacific School Games in Melbourne, they had to withdraw from the tournament because of financial issues. The teams were supposed to play in the U12 Boys and U12 Girls tournaments. Nauru basketball federation already tried to send teams in the South Pacific Mini-Games last summer but they were unable to do it for the same reasons. There is a will to play again in international events in Nauru but the federation simply lacks the money to reach its goals.
Nauru will field a Under 12 boys and Under 12 girls in the upcoming Pacific School Games which will be held in Melbourne , Australia, froom 26 November to 4 December.
The girls will play in a 9-team tournament, the teams has been divided in two pools. The nauruans girls will only face australian squad.
Nauru will field a Under 12 boys and Under 12 girls in the upcoming Pacific School Games which will be held in Melbourne , Australia, froom 26 November to 4 December.
The girls will play in a 9-team tournament, the teams has been divided in two pools. The nauruans girls will only face australian squad. The boys tournament features 10 teams, also divided in two pools, the boys will play against australian teams but also against New Caledonia. We will try to keep you updated about this tournament. The boys will start their tournament on Monday 28th against Tasmania, the same day the girls will face Queensland.
Pacific School Games - Under 12 Boys: Pool A: Queensland Australian Capital Territory Victoria Western Australia New Caledonia Pool B: New South Wales Northern Territory South Australia Tasmania Nauru
Pacific School Games - Under 12 Girls: Pool A: Victoria Western Australia New South Wales Australian Capital Territory Tasmania Pool B: Queensland Nauru Northern Territory South Australia
Nauru hasn't played in a major FIBA Oceania event since 2001 so we were pleased to see that they planned to send a team to Palau for the upcoming Mini-Games. Unfortunatly, they had to withdraw both their men and women squad from the Games. We don't really know why they did it but there should be some financial reasons, or maybe they are simply lacking of players.
Nauru hasn't played in a major FIBA Oceania event since 2001 so we were pleased to see that they planned to send a team to Palau for the upcoming Mini-Games. Unfortunatly, they had to withdraw both their men and women squad from the Games. We don't really know why they did it but there should be some financial reasons, or maybe they are simply lacking of players.
Nauru is the smallest country affiliated the FIBA Oceania and with a little more than 13,000 nauruans it's pretty hard to build a competitive basketball team. The country is also in a deep financial trouble and they might be unable to pay the airfare costs to Palau. We hope they would be able to field a team in the next South Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa, in 2007.
Today we are opening our new Nauru page, extended our coverage of the basketball in Oceania to this small island. Nauru is the smallest basketball federation affiliated to FIBA Oceania but the country has been very active in this region, playing in the major tournaments since 1963.
Today we are opening our new Nauru page, extended our coverage of the basketball in Oceania to this small island. Nauru is the smallest basketball federation affiliated to FIBA Oceania but the country has been very active in this region, playing in the major tournaments since 1963.
Country background: Nauru is a 21 square km island, it's the world's smallest independent republic and the smallest federation affiliated to the FIBA. Nauru achieved independence in 1968. A little more than 13,000 nauruans are living in this small republic. There is no offical capital, the government offices are in Yaren District. This was one of the richest countries in the world in the 1970s and 1980s thanks to phosphates mining but reserves are now depleted and the government faces virtual bankruptcy.
International Games: Nauru was one of the first countries affiliated to the Oceania Basketball Confederation and played during the first-ever South Pacific Games in 1963! Thanks to the money from the phospate mining, the country was able to field a men team at the South Pacific Games almost each time. The team recorded its best results in the 1960s (4th in 1963, 5th in 1969) but since the late 1970s Nauru never managed to compete for the medals again. The last international win of the men squad was during the 1997 Mini-Games in Pago-Pago and a 90-62 victory over the Cook Islands in a classification game. Nauru has played its last international tournament in Fiji in 2001 but lost all of its seven games. But Nauru did won a medal during the first OBC Youth Tournament in Fiji in 1997! Fiji and Tahiti played for the Gold and Nauru claimed the bronze with a 67-60 win over Vanuatu. But the general level of this tournament wasn't very good, a Fiji B team ended 5th and Sanma, a Vanuatu province team, was 6th. Nauru Women National Team played its first international tournament at the South Pacific Games in 1979 in Fiji, but they only managed to win two games (98-85 over Guam in 1979, 40-36 over Vanuatu in 1991) since that day! This is a great news to see Nauru back in the next Mini-Games in Palau.
Local Competitions: The Nauru Island Basketball Association is ruling 23 clubs on the island, 3 outdoor courts and 1 indoor stadium. The NIBA started in 1960 with 5 clubs. In May, the NIBA is holding the Constitution Day Tournament. Last year the competition lasted for 3 weeks, Boe District won the Men title, Ubenide District won the U16 Boys and the Women crowns and Aida District claimed the U16 Girls trophy.
Men NT International records: Major Events: 2001 - Oceania Tournament (in Fij): 11th / 0-7 record 1999 - South Pacific Games (in Guam): 14th / 0-5 record 1997 - South Pacific Mini-Games (in AmSamoa): 6th / 1-4 record 1991 - South Pacific Games (in PNG): 8th / 0-5 record 1983 - South Pacific Games (in Samoa): 10th / 0-5 record 1979 - South Pacific Games (in Fiji): 10th / 1-6 record 1975 - South Pacific Games (in Guam): 8th / 0-5 record 1969 - South Pacific Games (in PNG): 5th / 2-5 record 1966 - South Pacific Games (in Caledonia): 8th / 0-3 record 1963 - South Pacific Games (in Fiji): 4th / 4-3 record Youth Events: 1997 - OBC Youth Tournament (in Fiji): Bronze medal (won over Vanuatu for the medal) / 3-7 record
Women NT International records: Major Events: 2001 - Oceania Tournament (in Fiji): 9th / 0-8 record 1997 - South Pacific Mini-Games (in AmSamoa): 8th / 0-5 record 1991 - South Pacific Games (in PNG): 8th / 1-4 record 1983 - South Pacific Games (in Samoa): 8th / 0-5 record 1979 - South Pacific Games (in Fiji): 8th / 1-4 record Youth Events: 1998 - OBC Youth Tournament (in Caledonia): 6th / 0-6 record
