Apia (Samoa) - The Cook Islands women are channelling empowerment and pride at the FIBA U17 Oceania Cup. Being a small island nation will not deter them from becoming a powerhouse team at this event, and they will show everyone what it means to be from the Cook Islands.
Their appearance at the FIBA U15 Oceania Cup in 2024, after almost a decade of not competing in the event, was a significant achievement for the Cook Islands. Assistant Coach Keziah Lewis says the impact of participating in this event cannot be overstated.
“The U15 tournament in Canberra was a transformative experience for the players,” Coach Lewis said. “For many of our girls, it was their first time experiencing international basketball at that level, and for others it was the first time experiencing 5x5 basketball at all.”
Now, both the new and returning players are determined to harness these high-level tournaments and use them to develop their skills in the game.
“The experience taught them what's possible," Ms Lewis said. "They came back from Canberra with a new understanding of where they stand in the region and what they need to do to close the gap. More importantly, they inspired other young girls back home. We're seeing increased interest in basketball at the grassroots level because of what these girls achieved.”
This team has been carefully curated with a balance of fresh players with new skills and returning players who can lead them to victory.
“Cassidy Karika, Hayven Selby, and Alize Fau are our returning players from our U15 campaign in November, and they proved themselves on the international stage over a year ago,” Coach Lewis said. “I’m also excited to see all the newly added girls to the roster. It’s very special to witness anyone’s debut, but to see these young women debut at such a young age and to have a part to play in a memory that they will have with them forever is very special.”
“For U17s, we've built a deeper, more versatile roster that can hopefully handle the pace and physicality of international competition.”
To create this team, the Cook Islands have drawn the majority of players from the Cook Islands diaspora, meaning coming together to train has been a challenge they’ve had to overcome.
“Every time we can actually come together as a team is a blessing,” Coach Lewis said. “We don't take a single training session or camp for granted because we know how precious that time is … our preparation might look different from other nations, but what we lack in resources and time, we make up for in determination and the pure joy of representing our islands.”
We're one of the smallest countries competing in this tournament, but we refuse to let that define us. We may be small, but our spirit is mighty.
The FIBA U17 Oceania Cup and FIBA U17 Women’s Oceania Cup is being hosted by the Samoa National Basketball Association in Apia from December 8 to 13. The event is supported by the Government of Samoa under the Ministry of Sport and Recreation, with the two teams qualifying for the FIBA U18 Asia Cup and FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup 2026.
All games are livestreamed via the FIBA YouTube Channel in collaboration with BluWave Media.