KOROR (Palau) - There was a lot to play for at Stop 6 of the FIBA 3x3 Youth Nations League – Oceania in Conference 2. With semi-finals quickly approaching, teams were desperate to get into the top two on the standings to secure a ticket.
Women’s Conference 2: Cheers from Micronesia, Heartbreak for Samoa
FSM v NMI – In what has been an interesting battle throughout the stops, the Northern Mariana Islanders rose to the challenge at Stop 6. They hit a pair of two-pointers alongside some strong interior scoring, but they were particularly impressive on defence, keeping the Federated states of Micronesia to just two points in the first half. The Northern Mariana Islands maintained their early momentum to claim the first win of the day, 15-7.
SAM v SOL – In a high scoring and intense battle, these two teams gave the crowd something to cheer about. Hildegard Matthes was dominant once again with the support of Kajrie Tauiliili, giving Samoa the advantage. Monique Wanefai from the Solomon Islands pushed hard through the middle period of the game to keep her team in touch, and Dorothy Kio showed up with a long two to get the Solomons within one-point, 7-8. Isara Paramore stepped up to assist Hildegard Matthes, and the pair guided their team to another win, 18-13 the final score.
TGA v NMI – Always a close and fast-paced encounter, this match-up did not disappoint. Despite Tonga coming in favourites, the Northern Mariana Islands got early points on the board with Alliyah Fernandaz ducking and weaving her way under the rim. She kept pushing, sinking a step back two at the 6:30 mark, which was a big confidence boost for the underdog team. Tonga’s Makeili Ika went to work, as she has done throughout the tournament, driving in some tough points to keep her team on the pulse. Four minutes to go and things were all tied up 10-10. Tonga then pressed play on beast mode, scoring four unanswered points and striding away to a 19-14 victory. Lesieli Manupule led in scoring with a powerful 12 points.
FSM v TGA – Tonga was out of the blocks with Ana Enari leading the way, and it was only their own inaccuracy that prolonged the eventual victory over the Federated States of Micronesia 21-11. Sylvileen Doughoi from FSM shot well from the arc and held her own defensively to keep Tonga honest, but Manupele once again dominated, scoring 12 points for the second game in a row.
NMI v SOL – Fighting to keep their semifinal dreams alive, the Northern Mariana Islands needed a win to stay in the hunt, and despite a huge 11 points from the Solomon’s Dorothy Kio, the Northern Mariana Islands held on in a consistent performance to win the match 16-14. Alliyah Fernandaz again topped her teams scoring with seven points, with Kina Rangamar also throwing down five of her own to secure a historic semifinal berth for the Micronesian nation.
Women’s Final – Tonga v. Samoa
While Tonga had a semifinals birth confirmed, Samoa was fighting for the final conference spot. A win at the Stop 6 final would guarantee them a spot in the semifinals, but a loss would mean that this was their last game.
Tonga was still hungry for the win, stepping up their defensive pressure. Samoa rose up to the challenge, with Isara Paramore again standing tall and sinking much needed points. Hildegard Matthes gave it her all, scoring 13 points in the first seven minutes, giving Samoa a 17-14 lead with 3:00 remaining. Makeili Ika had other plans for the Samoans though, turning on the gas late. She scored three points in thirty seconds to tie the game 17-17, and with Lesieli Manupule chipping in with two points of her own, the Tongans took a 19-17 lead.
Samoa had the chance to tie the game back up at the free throw line, but were unsuccessful on both attempts, which gave Tonga the chance they needed to close out the final 21-19. Tonga claims their fifth Stop Final victory and send Samoa home without a semifinals appearance.
Men’s Conference 2: Race for First Place
FSM v NMI – Meeting for the final time this event, the two men’s teams from the Micronesian region were eager to get the win, for bragging rights if nothing else. The match-up proved incredibly close, with every player leaving everything out there on the court. The Federated States led 18-17 late, but back-to-back two-pointers from Airson Atan and Chioni Dela Cruz handed the Northern Mariana Islands a comeback victory, 21-18 the final score.
TAH v TGA – Tahiti came out strong from the blocks with Heiarii Salmon leading the way, but Tonga had a point to prove after a Stop 5 loss the day before. Luke Sinisa shot through his skin, and foul trouble got the better of a frustrated Tahitian outfit. Jonah Palelei shot the final point in the form of a lay-up for the Tongans, who walked away with a 21-13 win.
SOL v NMI – Fresh off a Stop 5 win, the men from Solomon Islands were not messing around in their first match of the day, with the Elijah Otasui and Kalita Maelasi combination dominating the court. Chioni Dela Cruz from the Northern Mariana Islands did his best, staging a late comeback, but it was not enough to contain the men from the Solomon Islands, who closed out the game 21-18.
TAH v SAM – Another tight tussle was promised from Tahiti vs. Samoa, and the two teams delivered once again. They went shot for shot, with Samoa claiming a narrow lead at the half-way point, Harley Tonga leading the way with some nice form in the paint. Tahiti looked to have it in the bag after a second half run led by Matéo Varlet, the scoreboard sitting at 20-16 with two minutes remaining. The Samoans would not back down so easily though, with two straight perimeter shots from Harley Tonga and Victor Keil tieing the teams at 20. With the game on the line it was Ryan Raoulx for Tahiti who came up clutch, nailing the winning shot to provide a Tahitian win 21-20.
FSM v SOL – Sitting second in the conference standings and wanting to go two-from-two in pool play at Stop 6, the Solomon Islands men worked through a gritty win to defeat the Federated States of Micronesia 21-17. Kalita Maelasi topped the scoring for the Solomons with 11 points, putting on a masterclass in driving to the basket.
SAM v TGA – The Polynesian battle that we have been blessed with throughout this tournament once again hit the court at Stop 6. With Tonga fighting for a place in the Spot 6 final to keep their medal dreams alive, the stage was set. It was Tonga’s Talanoa Latu who sunk a fallback two-pointer to ignite the game, sending both teams on a shooting fest. The game was even through the first four minutes, but the height and cohesion of the Tongans started to create a gap as the game progressed. The Samoans were unable to find an answer for Luke Sinisa and Jonah Palelai, who led Tonga to a 20-14 win.
Men’s Final – Tonga v. The Solomon Islands
Though both Tonga and the Solomon Islands had already secured their places in the semi-finals, the first-place spot in the conference was on the line at the Spot 6 final. The Tongans came out with their usual strategy, using the size and athleticism of Luke Sinisa and Jonah Palelai to overwhelm their opponents. However, the Solomon Islanders knew what to expect, and chose to lean into the advantages of ‘small ball’, firing away two-point shots with impressive accuracy. The Solomon’s plan was more effective, as they took an 8-3 lead within the first two minutes. The Tongans fought back, bringing the game within a point, but a second streak of two-pointers lead by the Solomon’s sharpshooter Bart Basia gave his team a massive advantage, which the Tongans were unable to overcome. The game ended 20-14 in favour of the Solomon Islands, who steal first place in the Conference 2 standings away from the Tongans, who enter the semi-finals in second place.
SEMI FINALS PREVIEW
The teams from Conference 1 and Conference 2 will finally match up against one another at the semi-finals, with the first-place team from each conference playing the second-place team from the other.
Women’s
Second place Northern Mariana Islands will face off against a powerhouse Fijian squad in the first semifinals match up, kicking off the action at 10:30am local time (UTC+9). The Fijian women dominated their conference; matching Tonga’s record of five-out-of-six Stop Final wins. Tonga will then take on Papua New Guinea in the following game. Papua New Guinea who proved to be easily the next best team in Conference 2, and will no doubt come out against the Tongans with a chip on their shoulder. The second semifinal game will take place at 10:55am local time (UTC+9).
Men’s
The Tongan men will face off against Fiji, who despite not being as dominant as their female counterparts, have proven themselves a formidable team, reaching the Conference 1 Stop Finals five times and claiming two Stop Final victories. The Tongan men’s game commences at 11:20am local time (UTC+9). The last semifinal match will see the Solomon Islands take on the home nation of Palau, who against all odds, won three Stop Finals to reach the semifinals. The Palau team has lacked consistency in the tournament, with an especially slow start, but will be a difficult opponent with the home crowd behind them. The Solomon Islands will play at 11:45am local time (UTC+9).
Where to Watch
All four semi-finals matchups will be streamed live on the FIBA 3x3 YouTube channel, as well as the grand finals games that follow.