Fiji - Fiji bids to host FIBA tourney

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Basketball Fiji (BF) will bid to host the 2012 FIBA Oceania Basketball Championships.

"Basketball Fiji and our associations feel the time is right to host an international FIBA Oceania Tournament in the country in 2011 or 2012," said BF development officer Lai Puamau.

We feel we are ready and we have proven in the past year that we have the basketball expertise and support in the country to host such an event.

"I believe with the current executive team and support from the respective associations we will be able to work together under one umbrella and this is the reason why I think we can achieve something of this magnitude.

"It is the reason basketball is moving forward in the country today, because it is a collective group working together and driving basketball forward rather than an individual."

FIBA Oceania reps, Steve Smith and Regan Kama were very impressed with the amount of development and work done by Basketball Fiji and their respective associations over a one year period, said Puamau.

"The unity and respect that the associations and Basketball Fiji had with one another was something that impressed them.

"Although this is still the first phase for development there is still more work that can be done to improve the sport in the country.

"As the level of competition goes up and the number of participants rises we will need to increase the base numbers of bench officials, coaches and referees," said Puamau.

"This can only be achieved through countless workshops and we are working closely with FIBA Oceania to have their zone development officer come down to Fiji in October to tackle some of these issues."

The host will be announced at the end of the FIBA Oceania Youth U20 Tournament in October.

in New Caledonia which our under-20 team will be competing in.