Final national basketball trials tip off for Melo Cup selection

The race for national pride is heating up as the Basketball Federation of Papua New Guinea prepares to stage its senior national final trials from September 4-7 at the Taurama Aquatic and Indoor Centre.

The trials starting tomorrow will determine the athletes who will wear the national jersey at the upcoming FIBA Melanesian Cup in Honiara, which will serve as a crucial qualifier for the 2027 Pacific Games in Tahiti.

This decisive phase comes after months of intense scouting and evaluation that began with standout performances at the 2024 National All Star Championships in Goroka. From there, athletes were shortlisted and tested further at regional trial camps in Mt. Hagen and Port Moresby to ensure balanced representation across provinces.

Players will undergo four rigorous assessments designed to test both physical and mental readiness for the international stage:

The athletes will undergo high performance testing to measure their strength, agility, and endurance. They will also do on-court drills covering offensive sets, defensive rotations, and transition execution. Both sernior men’s and women’s sides will also do game-based evaluations on scrimmages focused on chemistry and situational awareness. The final assessment will focus on player profiling where they will be assessed about their basketball IQ, resilience, coach ability, and consistency.

The four-day trials will start at 7am with registration of the participants, who are all required to present a valid passport copy upon arrival.

Ballers will be making final shot to secure a place on Team PNG ahead of the tournament scheduled from October 11-13 in Solomon Islands.

The selected players will not only represent the country at the Melanesian Cup but also take a step closer to the Pacific Games, a stage where Papua New Guinea has long sought to assert its dominance in regional basketball.

“It’s the last chance for athletes to prove they belong on the international stage, wearing PNG’s colors with pride,” a BFPNG official said.