With the return of Senior Basketball League this season, Solomon Islands Basketball Federation (SIBF) is hopeful to participate in more future overseas friendlies.
The Federation’s President William Lai disclosed this in a press conference fortnight ago.
He said, that the federation now has a clear picture to have friendly games in the near future and one of the friendlies the federation is looking forward to is the Australian Yearly Summer and Winter Leagues.
He added, that after this Men’s and Women’s Senior League is finished, the federation will have a training squad in place for their preparations for the Australian League.
William Lai President of Basketball Federation
Another competition the federation is looking forward to is the Melanesian Basketball Cup which is scheduled for 2025. Trainings for this will start around June or July next year.
“By the scale of things, we will start off first Men’s A League in March so that our players can continue to play.
“It will finish around July and then we will set our priorities for our national team to have lengthier training period,” President Lai said.
At the moment, the federation is considering to sending the squad to Philippines for their July trainings for a duration of a month.
It is expected they will continue trainings in the country after their return so that they can be built into a better condition for the Melanesian Cup.
“I think it’s necessary that we give all the opportunity to prepare our team so that whatever happens, we give them our best shot to try and compete in the tournament.
“We hope that this league will be a fresh beginning of good things to come but at the same time, we want to compete in the Melanesian Cup as well. This is why we are asking the players of this league to compete hard,” the federation chief said.
He added that for basketball, Solomon Islands is not dominant over the past years in terms of big competitions.
“So we can’t give a promising result because we need for time to train, but we will be there to compete.”
He said, that it would be an exciting journey for everybody; the federation, the players and supporters.
“But if we want to qualify for the Melanesian Basketball Cup and the Pacific Games in 2028, the squad will need a lot of trainings.”
By AGNES MENANOPO
Solomon Star, Honiara
