Australia have clinched their third straight Championship Gold Medal after defeating New Zealand in a dominant 96-49 victory in the Grand Final of the Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) Under 17 Oceania Championship on Saturday, October 7th, at Sir John Guise Indoor Complex in Port Moresby.
The back-to-back reigning Champions flexed their championship credentials earlier in the tournament, registering comprehensive victories against their opponents and maintaining the winning streak from day one to the big dance. They have had a dominant campaign, as was expected from the champions.
Australia ran over Guam, PNG and Samoa convincingly, but New Zealand gave them a run for their money. The Kiwis matched the eventual three-peat champions in every department, but the Emus were too strong, displaying an unbeatable record in the tourney to defend their title for the third time in a row.
The Australians came with all guns blazing and took the one-week tournament (October 1-7) by storm, stamping their authority and dominance. They played at a high intensity and maintained their momentum from the get-go to the final frame. The Aussies were invincible throughout the tourney.
Australian coach, Robbie McKinlay was really happy to see his boys defending their title for the third time and proudly flying the green and gold flag in the skies.
“The boys did a fantastic job, putting it all together on the floor. I thought defensively, we took it to a new level and we were rewarded for that. I am just proud of how the boys have come together during the week,” coach McKinlay said.
McKinlay went on to commend and praise his boys for remaining undefeated in the tournament and bagging their third consecutive championship.
“It is always great to win tournaments. I said to the boys in the locker room before the game – you never know when you are going to play in another gold medal game, so let’s go out there and enjoy it. I thought they did a good job tonight.”
The three-time champion coach touched a little bit on the experience the players, himself, and his coaching staff, including the team management, have had during their stay in the Nation’s Capital.
“The experience was awesome. It’s great for these young boys and for all the athletes to see different cultures and get to know new people from around the world. And obviously, a tip of the hat goes to PNG, especially Port Moresby for hosting a fantastic tournament,” coach McKinlay commented.
Meanwhile, in the FIBA U-17 Women’s Oceania Championship Grand Final, Australia defeated New Zealand 87-57. Both Australian Men’s and Women’s teams are the dual Champions of the 2023 FIBA U-17 Oceania Championships. Australia and New Zealand (both men & women) have qualified for the 2024 FIBA U-18 Asian Championships.
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