Road to the Pacific Games 2019: Fiji Men

The 2019 Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa (July 8-17) is the official Qualifier to the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers. The top 2 teams will qualify to the next round of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualification phase.

Apia (Samoa) – Fiji secured the bronze medal in the 2017 FIBA Melanesia Cup to book their ticket to the 2019 Pacific Games.

In the last edition of the quadrennial meet of Pacific nations, Fiji settled for a bridesmaid finish behind Guam which will motivate them after being so close to the elusive Gold Medal.

Qualifying in the Finals also gave Fiji the opportunity to participate in the 2018 FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers, although they were eliminated in the Group Phase, the Fijians will use the experience as an advantage heading into the Pacific Games.

Fiji is in Group A with Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Tahiti while Group B will feature Guam, Tonga, New Caledonia, and Samoa.

QUALIFIERS

Fiji bowed to New Caledonia, 70-73, to start its Melanesia Cup campaign on a low note before coming back with a vengeance against the Solomon Islands with a convincing 70-51.

However, Fiji suffered a 49-83 trouncing at the hands of the eventual champion Papua New Guinea to drop at the bronze medal match.

There, Fijians took care of business, scoring a 63-43 win to book a return ticket to the premier sports joust in the Pacific.

POSSIBLE KEY PLAYERS

Marques Whippy, Joshua Fox

Whippy was undoubtedly Fiji’s best player in the Melanesia Cup, norming impressive averages of 21.8 points and 8.5 rebounds through four games in their campaign to earn a spot in the All-Star Five of the tournament.

This Pacific Games, he will be expected to lead the charge anew for the Fijians and will welcome much-needed support from the much improved, Joshua Fox.

With Whippy sitting out the FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers, the do-it-all forward stepped up big time to take the cudgels from their premier big man. Fox was a man on a mission with a massive 21.7 points per game and 17.3 rebounds per game tournament average, which featured a dominant 29-point, 22-rebound and 7-assist stat line in a loss against Singapore.

2015 PACIFIC GAMES PERFORMANCE

Save for tough losses against Papua New Guinea (73-75) and Guam (72-75), Fiji had no problem coasting other Pacific counterparts.

The Fijians dominated Nauru (126-52), New Caledonia (79-58), American Samoa (68-57), Tahiti (75-67) and Samoa (102-63) to finish at 5-2 and advance to the Semi-Final Round.

Fiji then hammered PNG in the Semi-Final, 82-52 before suffering a repeat loss against champion Guam, 61-78, to settle for the silver medal.

OUTLOOK

Leaving a bitter taste to its mouth because of the second-place finish to Guam in the last edition of the Pacific Games, expect Fiji to make a serious effort in targeting the title of being the "Kings of Pacific Basketball".

Add the much-needed experience they have acquired in the Melanesia Cup as well as in the FIBA Asia Cup Pre-Qualifiers, the Fijians are indeed in for a deep Pacific Games run.

Another podium finish is anticipated from the formidable Fiji squad with no less than the Gold Medal still staying as the ultimate mission.

For more Pacific Games information visit the official website here.

FIBA