THE FIBA Oceania Pacific Youth Basketball Championships will call Latrobe City home this November.
Sixteen teams and more than 200 junior competitors from across Australia and Oceania will soon arrive at Latrobe Leisure Churchill for the international extravaganza.
Latrobe City Council’s general manager recreation, culture and community infrastructure, Grantley Switzer, said the tournament would bring an international flavour to Latrobe City with teams from Tahiti, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Guam, New Zealand, Samoa and Australia competing.
“Attracting this sort of high profile event is a great coup,” he said.
“The international standard basketball courts (at Churchill) were designed with just this sort of tournament in mind.
“We are also fortunate to be able to use the student accommodation at Monash University for the games village for competitors.”
Mr Switzer said teams would be involved in various community engagement activities while visiting Latrobe City.
“They will invest time to promote themselves, their countries and their sport, particularly to our young people,” he said.
“This is a great opportunity for the young basketballers in Latrobe City to see the elite junior players in their region in action and to witness these players not only in sport but as ambassadors.
“The spectacle of international sport creates a real spirit of excitement, especially in its junior form.”
Switzer said council would welcome the community to attend the matches and get behind the athletes.
FIBA Oceania secretary general Steve Smith said the organisation was looking forward to hosting teams from the Oceania region.
“We know everyone will enjoy the experience of great international basketball in Latrobe City,” Smith said.
“The basketball expertise available in and around Latrobe City will allow us to conduct the event at a level not seen before.
“The cultural exchanges between the participating teams have become a lasting legacy of the event in recent years and something local sports fans are sure to enjoy.”
The championships will take place from Saturday, 24 November to Sunday, 2 December.
Teams will arrive at the games village (Monash University) on Saturday, 24 November, undertake their educational programs and cultural performances on Sunday, 25 November with games tipping off on Monday, 26 November.
For more information visit www.fibaoceania.com or
www.latrobe.vic.gov.au or phone
1300 367 700. Anyone interested in volunteering for the event should email Sammy Cartwright at Basketball Victoria Country at
sammy.cartwright@bvcc.net.au
