The Saints Basketball Club in the Port Moresby Basketball Association (POMBA) will leave for Australia on Sunday, August 11th, to participate in the BK Academy Tournament slated from August 13th-14th at St James College, Spring Hill, Brisbane. Saints will represent PNG, while Taiwan and Australia will also field their teams to compete in the two-day event.
The BK Academy Tournament is a program known for grooming and developing young basketball talents, creating a conducive environment for the players to interact, establish friendships, experience new cultures, and build good sportsmanship.
Saints have become the first basketball team in Port Moresby, let alone PNG, to take part in an overseas tournament. It’s a small but significant achievement for the local club.
The team will be led by 3x3 PNG basketball representative player, Sibona Kala. The Saints will be banking on the experience of skipper Kala to make their presence felt among the competitive teams from Taiwan and Australia.
With no sponsorship backing from the business houses, the players are using their own resources to fund the trip because of the love and passion they have for basketball.
Coach Lawrence Lahari came up with this initiative, basically to give an opportunity to the players in exposing their skills abroad, and plans to make it an annual trip.
“We (Saints) are the first local club to take part in an overseas tournament. I initiated this trip and had a discussion with Christian Pang to have it annually,” Lahari said.
“The reaction from the players was priceless when we finally got our visas mid-week and confirmed to travel.”
Besides the tournament, the players will take part in specialized coaching sessions to enhance their skills and improve some of the areas they are lacking in their game.
Mr. Lahari extends the team’s appreciation to the sponsors, families and friends, who chipped in to make this trip possible for the Saints to take part in their first overseas tournament in Brisbane.
The confirmed traveling squad are: Sibona Kala (captain), Bulie Budin, Donald Kala, Pauna Kule, Joe Jnr Mainakavika, Malcolm Maliaki, William Mirupasi, Misack Reali, Russel Sabuia, Sebastian Alewa, and Lindon Seeto. Daniel Api (Townsville) and Vinnie Mareveka (Brisbane) will join the PNG contingent in Australia.
Meanwhile, accompanying the team for the training workshop include Junah Ilagi, Nape Waka, Dianne Lahari, and 3x3 PNG Basketball representative player, Ronnie Pomat, who played at the 2023 Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
PC: Saints Basketball Club
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