8 Frances Teneva Ropati (SAM)
27/04/2018
Oceania
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National team experience to help propel Samoa through 3x3 Asia Cup Qualifying

Apia, Samoa - Samoa's national 3x3 women's team touched down in China on Thursday ready to represent their nation at the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup.  

The team, consisting of Frances Teneva Ropati, Telesia Manumaleuga, Courtenay Leauanae and Zhanay Hettig are hoping that their experience playing for Samoa at FIBA Oceania Championships and the Pacific Mini Games over the last few years will help propel them through Qualifying and into the main draw of the 3x3 Asia Cup. 

Samoa Women have been drawn in Pool B against Sri Lanka, Thailand and reigning 3x3 Asia Cup champions Australia.  With only the top team progressing through to the main draw the team will not be able to take any game lightly.

After playing together in 2016 Ropati, Hettig and Manumaleuga will be familiar with how other plays.  Ropati will look to lead her team after averaging 18.4 points, 12.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists at last years FIBA U17 Oceania Championships - proving she certainly has the all-round game to do well in 3x3.

The Women will be joined by their men's team who will arrive on Saturday night and play their 5 pool games on Sunday after having some challenges with their flights out of Apia.  This will not deter the boys, who are fresh off a Gold-medal performance at the 2017 Pacific Mini-Games in Vanuatu.  Led by Ezra Tufuga and Ryan Paia, this team is loaded with international 3x3 experience.  Both Tufuga and Paia were members of that gold-medal winning team and both also participated in the Asia Indoor Games in Ashgabat - where their team turned heads with their athleticism and tenacity to get to the hoop. 

Marquise Vaili rounds out the men's team who will face off against Indonesia, Iran, Hong Kong and Oceania counterparts Australia and Guam with only the winner progressing to the main draw.  

The FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup starts on Friday.  All games and information can be found here.