Southern region basketball championships underway in Alotau

Alotau MP Ricky Morris making the toss to officially launch the tournament, on Monday afternoon (NBC News: Priscilla Waikaidi)

The Southern Region Basketball Championships have officially begun in Alotau, bringing together teams from across the region for a weeklong tournament.

Teams from Kikori, Popondetta, Gulf, and Oro Province have braved long journeys by road and sea to participate in the competition, which runs from Tuesday, 19 August, and culminates with grand finals on Sunday, 24 August.

Tournament Director Kathy Araea, appointed by the Alotau Basketball Association [ABA], said the last time Alotau hosted such a tournament was in 1995. While turnout from larger associations like Port Moresby was lower than expected, smaller associations such as Oro, Kikori, and Kerema were praised for their commitment.

“We’ll see some great talent this week. I’m confident all teams have come with their best, and Alotau is ready for the challenge. Our Women’s 3x3 team is defending their title,” Araea said.

A team from Kerema and Kikori traveled by road to attend the championship (NBC News: Priscilla Waikaidi)

Alotau MP Ricky Morris welcomed the teams and thanked the PNG Basketball Federation [BFPNG] for selecting Alotau as host. He also pledged K30,000 to support the tournament.

“This is about supporting our youth and young people. Just last week, our region’s leaders signed the Papuan Dialogue, aimed at strengthening leadership and cooperation for youth through sports, and this tournament is a perfect example,” Morris said.

BFPNG President David Peter outlined the strategic importance of regional competitions in nurturing national talent. He said regional competitions serve as vital pathways for national development programs.

Technical officials going through workshop prior to the tournament (Image: BFPNG)

"District and provincial competitions feed into regional tournaments, which then lead into the national championships. This structure ensures promising players are identified for national team selection,” Peter said.

Referee development workshops were delivered last week by senior referee Kora and BFPNG staff member Jordan Sere, covering both 3x3 and 5x5 formats.

Game-based scenario training using electronic scoring systems was conducted to ensure officials are match-ready.

A final refresher session for all participating teams was held on Monday afternoon, ensuring players and officials are aligned with updated rules and gameplay formats.

Meanwhile, teams out of Kikori, Popondetta and Gulf, who made the arduous journey by sea and by road into Alotau, are all hoping to catch selectors eyes in each of the divisions to be played.