KAITAIA (New Zealand) - Four years ago, Oceane LeFranc carried her nation to the Pacific Games.

At the 2018 Poly Cup in Samoa, the Tahitian star posted monster numbers, averaging a double double of 22.3 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. The sensational effort lifted Tahiti to a second-place finish, which qualified the squad for the 2019 Pacific Games.

“The Poly Cup is very important for Tahiti,” said Teimiri Hunter, Vice President of the Fédération Tahitienne de Basketball. “That’s because of what’s at stake and for the participation in the Pacific Games.”

In 2018, LeFranc owned the semi-final, powering Tahiti to a 91-75 win over Samoa with a 25-point, 19-rebound masterclass.

At the subsequent Pacific Games, Tahiti made it to the final round but fell to Samoa and finished fifth. LeFranc averaged nearly 10 points and 13 rebounds per game in the tournament.

The 29-year-old LeFranc anchors a new-look Tahitian team aiming to not just finish second at the Poly Cup, but to take the crown.

“We will do everything to win the Poly Cup,” Hunter said. “We want to get our spot in the Pacific Games.”

LeFranc will be joined by Maea Lextreyt and a host of fresh talent.

“Of course, we have our young people, who are well prepared,” Hunter said. “They want to perform well in New Zealand.”

The 2022 Poly Cup tips off next month at PunaOra Stadium in Kaitaia, New Zealand.

“The team is made up of a mix young and old,” Hunter said. “There is a good understanding there, and the coaches do a great job with our teams.

“Our teams are proud and grateful to be able to participate in this event, because we know that we will all come back stronger from the experience.”

The top two teams at the Poly 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 - Sam Brief