The country’s premier basketball players will be in action this weekend, when the Basketball Federation of Papua New Guinea (BFPNG) hosts its final team selection training camp for the 2017 FIBA Melanesia Basketball Cup.

Following a rigorous three-days, BFPNG men’s and women’s national representative squads will be reduced to teams of twelve, who will then represent PNG at the inaugural international hoops tournament.

Training camp commences on Friday afternoon at the Taurama Aquatic & Indoor Centre and will conclude at noon on Sunday. Over the three-days, each male and female squad will undertake five on-court sessions of intense training and physical testing.

BFPNG Chief Executive Officer and Head Coach of the PNG men’s national basketball team Joel Khalu said the camp gives all squad members a final chance to impress selectors. 

“It’s fantastic that we’re able to bring all national squad members together for this camp and we’re very grateful to the PNG Olympic Committee for helping assist us in making it happen,” Khalu said.

“Over the past six-weeks squad members have been undertaking training in Port Moresby, Lae and overseas, now we can get all those athletes together in a competitive, team-building environment.”

“We have twenty-three men’s squad members vying for one of the final twelve positions and on the women’s front, there’s eighteen players all trying to make the same cut.”

“With so much talent on deck, it’s going to be an extremely difficult task for our national selection panel.”

“The positive side though, is that we’ve got some of the finest basketball players the country has ever produced and the two teams that hit the floor at the FIBA Melanesia Cup in a month’s time could have the potential to be really special.”

Final PNG men’s and women’s national teams will be announced to the media on Monday, August 28.

For more information, please contact BFPNG Chief Executive Officer Joel Khalu on khalujoel@gmail.com