PAPEETE (Tahiti) – Seven years after winning Pacific Games Gold as a 15-year-old, Katherine Peneueta is back making an impact for American Samoa, helping her team to a 72-62 victory over Tahiti at the FIBA Women’s Polynesian Cup 2026.
Peneueta delivered 15 points and seven rebounds as American Samoa took control through the opening three quarters, building a commanding lead that proved too much for Tahiti to overcome.
Tahiti mounted a late fightback, but American Samoa had done enough to secure a 72-62 victory and a return to the winners’ circle.
Tahiti fought hard from the outset and stayed within reach through the opening half before American Samoa created separation after the break. The hosts refused to go away, mounting a spirited final-quarter fightback led by Oceane Lefranc to close the margin before American Samoa held firm.
“This group got put together just a couple of days ago, so we haven’t had that many opportunities to practise together,” Peneueta said.
“But we go out there and make it work. Our team has a lot of hard workers, a lot of hustlers on and off the bench, and we’re just blessed to be here and we’re going to keep putting in the work.
“We have a lot more things to clean up ahead of the next few games, but I think we have a solid group right now.”
It was a balanced performance from American Samoa, with Nevaeh Asiasi leading the scoring with 18 points while adding seven rebounds, six assists and three steals. Isabella Cravens recorded a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double along with four steals, while Sarah Smith contributed 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
For Peneueta, sharing the court with Smith carried some added significance, with the pair having previously played together for American Samoa during their gold-medal campaign at the 2019 Pacific Games.
“My former teammate Sarah, we played together at the 2019 Pacific Games, so I love being able to play with her again,” Peneueta said.
But this entire group, like I said, we have a lot of great girls. There were a few girls I was familiar with before coming out here, but I love the whole team.
Peneueta was just 15 when she represented American Samoa at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa, playing all five games as the team went undefeated on their way to gold. Despite her young age at the time, Peneueta remembers the experience less for the numbers and more for what representing American Samoa meant to her.
“It was just fun. It was a great time,” she said. “It brought me so much pride getting to come home and represent American Samoa, and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to do it again. It was just the joy of playing basketball alongside all of my family.”
Seven years on, Peneueta’s place within the team has changed.
Where she was once the teenager surrounded by experienced teammates, she now has an opportunity to provide the same support and encouragement to the younger players coming through American Samoa’s program.
Now that I’m more of the vet, I get to be what my teammates were for me back in 2019.
“We’ve got a lot of young girls on the team. All we want to do is instil confidence and uplift them, and bring that same joy of basketball and pride of representing the country onto the court now that they get to play too.”
For a team that came together only days before arriving on court in Tahiti, there is still plenty of work ahead. But with their first victory secured, Peneueta believes the foundations are there for the group to continue building throughout the tournament.
And after returning to wear the American Samoa colours seven years on from one of the defining experiences of her young basketball career, Peneueta was quick to acknowledge those who helped bring her journey full circle.
“Shout out to all my family and all the people who allowed me to be here, got me here and trained me to get here,” she said. “I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without them. Shout out to God and all my blessings for even being able to be here in the first place.”
Women's teams from the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Guam, Papua New Guinea, and Tahiti (host) have already qualified for the Pacific Games 2027, with the top two placed teams at the FIBA Women's Polynesian Cup 2026 to also secure their spot.
The 2026 editions of the FIBA Polynesian Cup and FIBA Women's Polynesian Cup have tipped off in Toahotu, concluding with medal matches on Saturday October 24.