PORT VILA (Vanuatu) – The Vanuatu men’s basketball team enters the 2025 FIBA Melanesian Cup ready to prove they belong on top. Being away from the competition has only made this team hungrier to face their opponents on the court. Vanuatu Men’s Team Captain, Rikki Vora, is ready for it all to begin.
“They have no idea who we are, what kind of team we are, and what Vanuatu is capable of,” Vora said. “But we know who they are, and playing against these teams will make Vanuatu basketball gain much-needed experience and exposure.”
Vora knows that this national men’s team has what it takes to make an imprint on the Vanuatu nation, and as team captain, he is determined to make every moment count.
“I’d like to think this is a special team, and it’s special because we all believe that Vanuatu can compete on that stage and deserves to be there," Vora said.
We have the talent to make it - Rikki Vora
In Vanuatu, rain doesn’t cancel training; it becomes part of it.
On outdoor courts that have been abused by sun and storms, Vanuatu’s national men’s team trains through the elements, chasing a dream that most of their regional rivals pursue under bright lights and polished hardwood.
Training sessions involve dodging potholes deep enough to break an ankle and shooting free throws with the wind pushing the ball in the opposite direction. But, the Vanuatu Men’s Team Coach Sam Lewis believes, “these hardships make us a strong team."
Vanuatu’s absence from the competition doesn’t mean they have neglected the sport they love.
“There’s a ‘strop g hoops’ culture and a great crew of guys and girls playing pick up every day,” Lewis shared.
Now, in preparation for the Melanesian Cup, Lewis has “prepared [them] to a high level and is excited to see how the boys perform on an international stage."
The Vanuatu men will be bringing their passion for basketball to the Solomon Islands as they play on polished wooden courts for the first time in over two decades. For this team, it’s not just about the facilities they have — it’s about the fire they bring with them.
The FIBA Melanesian Cup will be hosted by the Solomon Islands Basketball Federations in Honiara from October 13 to 18. The event will be supported by the National Sports Council, with the two teams qualifying for the Pacific Games 2027 in Tahiti. All games will be livestreamed via the FIBA YouTube Channel courtesy of TTV Solomons Islands.