PAPEETE (Tahiti) - Federation Tahitienne de Basketball (FTBB) digs deeper into their grassroots development with its partnership with different schools to discover and further hone the basketball skills of its youth players.

Introducing the “Section Basket” program, the National Federation has already started working with schools and town clubs for added practices and camps of teens from the U15, U14, U13, and U12 age-group.

“The goal is to allow the kids to practice more during the week. It is a program that the Federation wants to go on in the long term,” said Tahiti U17 national team head coach Arii Meuel.

Section Basket is an extension of the National Federation program to the middle schools after the initial project with elementary schools around the country.

Under the program, participating teens will undergo two practices a week with National Federation coaches and officials as an added avenue to develop high potential players apart from regular training in their respective schools and town clubs.

Soon, Meuel eyes to launch more section baskets in as many schools for the continuous growth of aspiring homegrown cagers that would benefit Tahiti basketball in the long haul for future success in the Pacific and beyond.

“It is a continuity that the NF is looking for in those programs,” he beamed.

“The Federation is happy with the Section Basket that is in place and is looking to extend this program to other schools. It helps the clubs, the school teams, and the Federation also to track down maybe some "potential" players for our national teams.”

Last year, Tahiti already showed a glimpse of that potential with a series of podium finishes in key tournaments in the Pacific.

Tahiti captured a Silver Medal in the Pacific Games Basketball event and finished at fourth place in the Men’s 3x3 while the Women’s team copped the Bronze Medal in 3x3.

Tahiti U17 teams were also impressive with a banner last year as the boys and girls squad landed at fourth and third place, respectively in the elite FIBA U17 Oceania Championships held in New Caledonia.

FIBA