Guam ready to host FIBA tournament

From: www.guampdn.com
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Team Guam will hit the court on Sept. 28 and will battle teams from seven other countries for the 2008 FIBA Oceania Youth Basketball Tournament title at the University of Guam field house.

"This is the first time the tournament is being held on Guam, so all eyes will be on us," tournament chairman Tony Thompson said.

Among those eyes will be Bob Elphinston, president of FIBA -- basketball's world governing body.

Teams from Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Palau, Tahiti and the Northern Mariana Islands will begin to arrive on Thursday and will stay in the Athlete's Village at the Ohana Oceanview Resort in Tumon.

"We won the bid to host the tournament because it's never been held in this region and because of our showing in the two prior tournaments," Thompson said.

Guam's men and women finished 5th and 8th, respectively, in Coffs Harbour, Australia in 2006. The men took the bronze medal in their debut in the 2004 tournament in Auckland, New Zealand.

The men will play CNMI at 8 p.m. while the women will face New Caledonia simultaneously.

The organizing committee is still looking for volunteers to help with the tournament, committee member Susan Lupola said.

"We need (scorekeeping) table crews, concessions and liaisons for the teams," Lupola said. "And don't worry, we'll keep them fed and give them uniforms."