NOUMEA (New Caledonia) - Two aspiring squads emerged as the champions in New Caledonia's U20 3x3 Championship to show a glimpse of the country’s potential in the discipline.

Led by Coralie Forest, Romane Wayaridri, Oriane Qenenoj, and Loann Fisiipeau, AS6eONE reigned supreme over three other squads in the girls’ division of the five-day national tournament.

ASRS1, made up of Ethaniel Fenuafanote, Yannick Fenuafanote, Gabriel Rambans, and Jonathan Lethan, ruled the boys’ division against 11 other teams of the massive event, endorsed by the Fédération française de Basket-ball and FIBA.

Completing the podium were BCC and ASRS in the girls with ASDUMBEA and AS6th KM1 in the boys.

Behind her 93 points throughout the tournament, AS6eONE’s Qenenoj copped the girls’ Most Valuable Player plum while Brian Taputu of third-placer AS6th KM1 claimed the MVP award in the boys’ category after racking up 132 total points.

“We achieved the mission of catering maximum opportunity for this age group to showcase their skills in organized 3x3 competition,” said FFBB Secretary-General Bridget Delaveuve as it eyes to make 3x3 championship a staple event starting 2021.

“There's a lot of potential to 3x3 and the players are loving the games, the next generation is coming. Long live 3x3!”

Photo: Officials and coaches of the 3x3 competition

The U20 3x3 championship was another milestone for NCL this year amid the pandemic after gathering the best young aspiring girls and boys in a national training camp last month.

NCL eyes to continue honing grassroots talent in January 2021 as the pandemic situation gets better that will welcome back regular basketball events, not only in Oceania but all over the world.

This continuous grassroots engagement is tipped to catapult New Caledonia basketball to greater heights after creating ripples in the recent FIBA Oceania tournaments.

Last year, NCL hosted FIBA U17 Oceania Championships in Noumea with the men’s and women’s squads recording sixth-place finishes against a loaded opposition bannered by powerhouses Australia, New Zealand, and Guam.

New Caledonia men’s and women’s senior teams also qualified and made the quarterfinals of the 2019 Pacific Games 3x3 basketball held in Apia, Samoa.

FIBA