Tonga's first women basketball team at FIBA Polynesian Cup [1]
Tuesday, November 1, 2022 - 19:14. Updated on Thursday, June 8, 2023 - 11:04.
Tonga’s first national women’s basketball team is competing in the FIBA Polynesian Cup 2022 at the PunaOra Stadium in Kaitaia, New Zealand from 1-5 November.
Five Pacific Islands, including Tonga, Cook Islands, American Samoa, Tahiti and Samoa are competing in this year’s FIBA Polynesian Cup.
Tonga's ‘Tonga Ma’a Tonga’ was scheduled to battle Tahiti today in the opening game at the PunaOra Stadium in Kaitaia, then:
Day 2 - Tonga vs Samoa
Day 3 – Tonga vs American Samoa
Day 4 – Tonga vs Cook Islands
The top two teams at the Poly Cup will qualify for the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands.
The Pacific Games then serve as the official qualifier for the Oceania region to the FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers.
Tonga’s Director of National Teams, Cahn Fitzgerald, said that the team's efforts and dedication to training is unmatched, and they were really excited to see what they could collectively bring to the court.
“The nation hopes to develop a pathway for young people in this global sport, and we are thrilled to be sending two teams to the upcoming Poly Cup”.
Cahn said they want to put Tonga on the map as basketball greats.
“To do this, we need to both win and show we can interact at a highly professional and competitive level".
“Showing the kids back home that there is a pathway for them through to international competition means we need to think globally and act locally. We need to be progressive in our approach", he said.
He said both Tongan teams (men and women), are inspired by a Tongan proverb, “si’i pe kae ha,” which means ‘Small but Mighty’.
Team Roster
- Tapuaki Ha’unga
- Nadia Rosa Selaima Lise Enari
- Lesila Finau
- Patiola Tonga
- Ana Rachel salute Fui Enari
- ‘Ana Lauteau
- Mele’out Po’uliva’ati ‘Ahovelo
- Fifita Milika
- Finehika Finau
- Kara-Lynne Enari
- Lineni Uaine
- Talanoa Fifita
Coach, William De Berg