SUVA (Fiji) - The New Caledonia Men’s team jetted into Fiji on Monday night and are on a mission to win gold at the FIBA Melanesian Cup 2022.

The FIBA Melanesian Cup 2017 runners-up, are in a year of transition with a mixture of experience and youth across the board looking to go one better in 2022.

New Caledonian, Ludovic Miteail is making his first debut at the FIBA Melanesia Cup 2022 and said he the tournament provide a great opportunity for the team to go up against the best in the region. 

“I’m proud to be a part of the team and it is an honour to wear the New Caledonia uniform,” Miteail said.  “We are prepared for the four-day tournament, and we will give it all for our country.  We have enormous respect for all teams competing, but our main goal is to win and we will give one hundred percent every match.”

New Caledonia will be putting their best foot forward come their first game against the host nation, Fiji at 7:30pm local time.

The top two teams at the FIBA Melanesian Cup will qualify for the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands.  The Pacific Games then serves as the official qualifier for the Oceania region to the FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers.

FIBA - Loata Waqanivavalagi