FIBA Live Statistics to be used in Guam tourney

FIBA Oceania will be using the new FIBA Live Statistics program for the first time in the 7th FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament, giving basketball aficionados outside Guam a chance to get live updates on the 19-and-under caging.

Guam will be hosting the annual tournament from Sept. 27 to Oct. 5 at the University of Guam Fieldhouse in Mangilao.

The host will be battling the 19-under title against teams from the CNMI, Palau, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and powerhouse Australia.

The eight teams are divided into two pools with CNMI, Guam, PNG, and New Caledonia comprising Group B.

The CNMI Junior Nationals are composed of Jericho Cruz, Jayvan Tarkong, Allen Moses, Marvin Rabauliman, Jomar Tumaquip, James Camacho, Joseph White, Jose Castro, Bill Babauta, and Antonio Borja.

Babauta and Borja are already on Guam as they are studying in UOG and will be joined by the rest of the team on Sept. 26.

The CNMI cagers, who are coached by Rufino Aguino, will debut against PNG and members of the basketball community in the Commonwealth can monitor the team’s performance through FIBA’s new program.

The FIBA Live Statistics program facilitates the capture of game statistics as they happen, and also webcasts this information live on the internet. Data gathered is fully integrated with FIBA Organizer so competition and historical statistics can be updated after the game.

To access updates about the tournament, viewers just need to log to FIBA Oceania website, look for the tournament name and click LIVE.

This year’s Oceania youth caging will have Australia as team to beat in both the men’s and women’s divisions.

Australia made it into the finals in both divisions winning against New Zealand in the women’s title game, 56-47. The Aussies lost to the Kiwis in the men’s division, 94-104.

The 2008 edition of the Oceania caging will feature a 3-on-3 tournament as a side event. The 3-on-3 tournament will have players from one participating nation teaming up with cagers from other squads.

Games will be played in the main mall area and carpark of Micronesian Mall. The tournament will be run under the new FIBA 33 rules, which will be used in the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore.

Aside for the 3-on-3 tournament, participants will also attend HIV/AIDS awareness clinics, players skill development workshop, and fitness test.

At the end of the tournament, FIBA Oceania will select 10 players each in the men’s and women’s divisions who will make it to the All-Star Team and compete in the Australian National Championships next year.

Coaches will be asked to nominate players for the All-Star Selection at a technical meeting in Guam.

Players will then be named by the selection panel, which is headed by Patrick Hunt, manager of player and coach development with Basketball Australia.