FIBA Oceania Bulletin April 2009 President’s Report— the game within the zone. Of course not all by Barbara Wheadon is able to be achieved but aiming high is Greetings everyone, here in something we see as a challenge. New Zealand we are enjoying Judy and Steve Smith have recently had summer like we cannot re- some well earned leave and Regan Kama member, long warm days, but has become a mum again. The Oceania office alas the challenge is to sustain is a family-friendly one, with baby Taleah the vegetable garden as it has coming along to work with Regan. The staff not rained in months. are busy now heading into the year’s activi- Developing and The basketball year has started at a furious ties, which will include the Oceania Tourna- promoting basketball pace, with our representative All Star men & ment and Congress in Saipan in June, where across the Pacific women competing in the Australian Under 20 I hope to meet with many of the representa- championships in Townsville in February. tives from our member Federations. Players and staff from Tahiti, PNG, Fiji, FIBA President Bob Elphinston, Secretary Guam, New Caledonia and Palau represented General Patrick Bauman and Sports Direc- the zone with distinction at the tournament. Î 2009 All Stars tor Lubo Kotleba will join us in Saipan, Congratulations to all those involved. which will provide an opportunity for the Î New CEO for BA I have been fortunate to have hosted many zone federations to talk directly to the most overseas guests in February, during the draw powerful men in world basketball. Î Oceania Congress for the FIBA Under 19 Championships which Our congratulations to Larry Sengstock on will be held in New Zealand in July. The Î his appointment as the new CEO of Basket- Fiji ‘on fire’ draw was a very grand occasion and it was ball Australia. We will be keenly watching great to see our game at the front of the NZ Î Vanuatu Easter Champs the new initiatives of BA and hope they reap sports news. If any of you are interested in the anticipated rewards. I also extend our Î Ralik Ratak on again becoming a volunteer for the event I urge you sincere thanks to departing CEO Scott Der- to apply via the BBNZ website. win who has participated in many Oceania Î NZ hosts World Champs The FIBA Oceania Board met recently in Syd- activities and meetings during his 10 year ney and in reviewing the 2008 reports have reign at BA. ÎNew DO for Oceania recommended that the Secretary General pre- During 2009, FIBA Oceania will also be con- Î Solomon’s Easter pare a new strategic plan in time for the Con- ducting the qualifications for the first-ever Champs gress in Saipan. Initial meetings have been FIBA Under 17 World Championships, held with Island representatives Bill Kelder- along with the qualifications for the men’s mans, Robert Vautrin and Michael White and and women’s World Championships in their views will be circulated to you all for 2010. To all our members, thank you for the consideration. The Board is keen to hear from contribution each of you make to our game. you on how you best see the development of P.O. Box 174, Toormina The Oceania Tournament—Saipan NSW, Australia 2452 Saturday 20th—Sunday 28th June 2009 Ph +61 2 6658 6110 The Oceania Tournament for men and women will be played in Sai- Fax +61 2 6658 6114 pan, Northern Mariana Islands in June this year. The island nation is gearing up for the big event, with the organising committee working Email: [email protected] overtime to ensure a perfect competition. The senior national men’s and women’s teams from Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Website: Fiji, Tahiti, Palau and Guam will join hosts CNMI at the tournament. www.fibaoceania.com The 4 yearly Oceania Congress will also be held in Saipan, during which elections for the Oceania Board of Management for the period 2009—2013 will be held. To encourage all federations to send a dele- gate to the Congress, FIBA Oceania will be providing free accommo- dation and meals for 3 days. Read more on page 3. We welcome stories from across the zone for the Bulletin. If you have some news from your club, school, association or federation, email it, and a photograph to Judy Smith at [email protected] The Oceania Bulletin is an official publication of FIBA OCEANIA and is circulated throughout Oceania, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe. To be added to the email distribution list, send your address to [email protected] Visit our website at www.fibaoceania.com for previous editions. Page 2 FIBA Oceania Bulletin, April 2009 2009 All Star Teams The FIBA Oceania All Star teams participated in the Austra- lian Under 20 Championships in Townsville from 14-21st February this year, and performed with distinction both on and off the court. The contingent had a week-long training camp in Townsville, during which they played games against local senior teams. This practice provided great game experience for our teams, who were ‘ready to play’ when the tournament commenced. Coaches Brigette Langomazino, Honoura Bonnet, Katrina Ferris and Warwick Allen were full of praise for the way the players absorbed new skills and team plays, and how much both teams improved over the two weeks. In addition to the playing staff, FIBA Oceania was repre- sented in the refereeing field by Jubilee Kuartei from Palau and Joe Tamani from Fiji. Both referees gained a great deal of experience from the opportunity to work with some of the best referees in Australia, and to have their games assessed by experienced referee evaluators. The 2009 Oceania All Star teams were: Women: Haamoe Voirin Tahiti Alizee Lefrac Tahiti Rachael Koivi PNG Clarissa Passa New Cal Derin Santos Guam Philippa Joumkalop PNG Brittany Hazelman Fiji Meleane Moce Fiji Nakita Travertz PNG Following the opening ceremony, the new Australian Opals Rebecca Tomada Guam coach Carrie Graf spoke to the Oceania teams, repeating the Coach: Brigette Langomazino Tahiti message that game scores should not be seen as the deciding Ass Coach: Katrina Ferris indicators of success at this tournament. Manager: Audre Hattori Guam Referee: Jubilee Kuartei Palau The teams were treated to the opportunity to view the best of Australian women’s basketball, when they watched a WNBL Men: game between Canberra Capitals and Townsville Fire. Reihiti Sommers Tahiti Girls Results: Perry Oiterong Palau South Australia 122 defeated Oceania 42 Tereora Dauphin Tahiti Victoria 110 defeated Oceania 33 Beniela Adjougniope New Cal Western Australia 85 defeated Oceania 36 Maruki Dury Tahiti New South Wales 103 defeated Oceania 54 Mika Loko PNG Tasmania 91 defeated Oceania 41 Manoa Puamau Fiji Queensland 92 defeated Oceania 51 Rahiti Teriierooiterai Tahiti Purari Muri PNG Boys Results: Jese Sikivou Fiji New South Wales 109 defeated Oceania 43 Coach: Honoura Bonnet Tahiti Western Australia 98 defeated Oceania 64 Ass Coach: Warwick Allen South Australia 114 defeated Oceania 68 Manager: Charley Maitere Tahiti Queensland 131 defeated Oceania 48 Referee: Joe Tamani Fiji Canberra 95 defeated Oceania 49 Tasmania 103 defeated Oceania 98 Page 3 FIBA Oceania Bulletin, April 2009 Basketball Australia has a new- CEO: Oceania Congress—Saipan Australian basketball has a new Wednesday 24th June leader, with the legendary Larry The 4 yearly Congress of FIBA Oceania Sengstock named as the sport's is scheduled for Wednesday 24th June new Chief Executive Officer. 2009 in Saipan, Northern Mariana Is- Chairman of the Board of Basket- lands. ball David Thodey said BA under- All federations in the zone should do took an exhaustive search for everything they can to have at least one someone with proven leadership ability and impeccable cor- delegate at the Congress. To encourage porate credentials and were thrilled to find Sengstock. participation at the Congress, FIBA Oceania will provide free accommodation and meals for one delegate from each Sengstock comes to basketball as an acknowledged leader in federation for Tuesday 23rd, Wednesday 24th and Thurs- Australian sports management, with exceptional experience day 25th June. in working with all levels of sport and with all levels of gov- ernment. This offer is only for federations who are not participating in the Oceania Tournament. Federations will need to pay One of the best credentialed sports and event management for the airfare of their representative, and any additional executives in Australia, Sengstock was the Head of Sport and accommodation and meals outside the 3 day offer. Athlete Services for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth At the Congress there will be the election for the President Games. He was one of the original members of the bid team of FIBA Oceania for the 4 year period 2009-2013, plus an that secured the Commonwealth Games for Melbourne and election for the 3 Pacific Island representatives. More infor- then a member of the Organising Committee that ensured the mation about the Congress will be circulated to federations Games were a stunning success. Sengstock joins Basketball in the coming weeks. However, federations who are not Australia from his current role as Senior Consultant of Inter- participating in Saipan, but who wish to come to the Con- national Projects with market-leading sports, recreation and gress should email their intention to Judy Smith as soon as possible on [email protected] leisure planning consultancy SGL Group. With the FIBA President Bob Elphinston, and Secretary The former Boomers star played 293 games for Australia and General Patrick Baumann attending the Oceania Congress represented Australia at four Olympic Games (1980, 1984, it is important that we honour their involvement by having 1988, 1992) and four World Championships (1978, 1982, 1986, as many federations as possible represented at the Con- 1990).