New kids on the block stun competition

A group of young Tongan basketballers are turning heads at the FIBA Under 15 Oceania Championships in Canberra this week.

The girls are performing exceptionally well, having secured victories, 80-43 against New Caledonia, 76-52 over Fiji, and a 133-52 defeat of the Cook Islands.

Team Tonga U15 team list. Photo/ Tonga Basketball Facebook

With one more game remaining in pool play, the side are on track for a place in the quarterfinals.

A top-four finish will guarantee their place in the Asia Cup next year.

Coach Joseph Vega says the results indicate that the sport is taking off in the island Kingdom.

Since its inception in 2018, the FIBA U15 Oceania Championship has been a pathway tournament for young basketball athletes to showcase their skills.

Full-time scores for both teams in their opening match of the championship. Photo/ Tonga Basketball Facebook

This competition provides young athletes with valuable international experience and helps them refine their abilities, ultimately contributing to developing top teams in the Oceania region.

The Tongan U15 boys and girls teams are newcomers to the biennial competition, and coach Vega has been impressed with their performance.

Vega says the championship also offers young athletes a chance to reconnect with their roots, and it’s important for their players to participate in an event like this.

"Being the first ever for the boys and girls U15 basketball team, it is about time,” Vega said on PMN Tonga.

“It's about time because I know players all around this world want me to find a way to connect back home with the kingdom of Tongan, no matter where they live.

“Still, basketball was that opportunity to connect two and two together.

"We play Guam, and if we pull off a victory. We go into the top four for the Oceania Cup. In the top four, no matter what seed, we move on to next year, the Asia Cup in Singapore, So tomorrow is a huge game for us. If we can pull off tomorrow, we're headed in the right direction from year one. Fantastic."

Uniform presentation. Photo/ Tonga Basketball Facebook

Vega shares how incredible the atmosphere has been for himself and the athletes.

He says the fans have been supportive in their unique Tongan way - singing, chanting, and even using pots and pans as thunderclaps while cheering on the team.

"You know what? Only our people can pull this off because they're gonna do whatever it takes to represent their kids and be loud and cheer for them.

“And you can feel it. The first night when they started singing that hymn, It took everything not to cry because I like this is huge."

Looking forward to the future, Joseph shares how important it is to raise the sport's profile in Tonga.

"I know in a couple of years, the level of this game is gonna be on another level. The world's gonna know who we are in a few years.

“There's competitors all over the place that wanna represent the kingdom. And basketball's coming, and we're coming quick, and we're ready."

The competition ends on 16 November.

Watch the full interview of coach Joseph Vega below.