Apia (Samoa) - The Men's tournament is heating up with the penultimate day of the Group Phase offering two blockbuster games with huge implications in the Qualifying Finals next week.

In the first game at 2:15 pm (Samoa time); the Solomon Islands (0-2) and Tahiti (0-2) will face-off to determine which team will advance to the next round.

Polynesia Cup champion, Tahiti is raring to prove their mettle after suffering two stinging losses 66-80 to Fiji and 51-93 against Papua New Guinea.

The Solomon Islands is in the same boat as the Tahitians experiencing defeats to PNG (48-86) and Fiji (44-74).

In the other game; Melanesia Cup rivals Fiji and Papua New Guinea will battle for the top spot in Group B and the outright slot to the Semi-Final round at 4:30 pm.

In their last match-up during the 2017 FIBA Melanesia Cup, PNG stunned Fiji with a massive 83-49 victory albeit the latter was missing key players.

2015 Pacific Games Silver Medalist, Fiji will be reinforced by their star duo, Marques Whippy (15.5 ppg, 15 rpg) and Joshua Fox (13.5 ppg, 13.0 rpg) in this Melanesian region rivalry.

Meanwhile, PNG will rely on their balanced attack led by brothers Liam and Lloyd Wright, Martin Leahy and neophyte Conillus Muri who are averaging 13.5, 13, 11.5 and 9.5 points per game respectively.

The country with the highest standing at the end of the Group Phase will get a bye and advance directly to the Semi-Final round while the second and third place team will advance to the next round. 

Who will go home? Who will take the top spot? Strap your seatbelts and enjoy the ride.

FIBA