Hoops

U17 Oceania Australia vs Marshall Islands

FIBA has to be kidding itself with the Under-17 Oceania Championship currently underway in Guam.

One of the competing nations, the Marshall Islands, has a population of 52,993, although that's currently closer to 52,963 with its teams competing in Guam. Put it this way. That's less than the population say, of Wagga Wagga.

How would Wagga's Under-17s fare against the Australian teams?

In the girls, our Sapphires beat Marshall Islands 166-3. I mean seriously, what is the point of this?

They whipped Tahiti 163-13 and were taken to the wire by Samoa, winning 111-27.

Our Under-17 boys thrashed New Caledonia 155-32 and Palau 168-32. If you thought Marshall Islands didn't have that many kids to select from, Palau's population comes in a shade under 22,000.

Samoa gave our guys a fright, Australia winning 142-34. Could this tournament be any more a waste of money and effort than it already is?

Surely play Oceania as a two-tier competition, with Australia and New Zealand already seeded into semi finals. I understand and fully support developing the region, but it has to be in stages and clearly so many of these little nations are no-where near ready enough yet.

I saw them smash Samoa by 108 today. What was heartening was that they never ever let up and played that harassing Australian style from woe to go.

We clearly need to keep an eye out for the emerging regional basketball powerhouse that is the Marshall Islands. In several years they will probably score double figures in a game such as this.

Seriously, the country's entire population could fit at a football game at the Adelaide Oval.

That level of competition is like an NBA team playing a Monday night D-grade social team. Games like this make the FIBA Oceania region a farce.

https://www.hoops.com.au/forum/41489-ajc-championships-u16-thread-and-stream/#p639252

Of course looking back up now the parent complaining about no stream was in the AJC thread not this one but the point remains.

Well said isaac. The parents are out of control! and my dig at them completely went over their heads.

Maybe some knock out games prior to playing higher seeded teams - Like the NCAA tourney. On the other hand maybe the teams want this experience ?

I find it interesting that years ago, people were lucky to get NBL and NBA games streamed. In 2017, the expectation is that 16 year olds playing a sporting minnow in an incredibly lopsided game will be live streamed for the sake of a few dozen parents. Not disparaging the expectations of the parents - just a wonder of the pace of technology.

Lucky we have such great internet here in Australia to make it all work brilliantly...

"If you go to the fibs website and then to the host country you may find a link to the games, most of them are taped though not often live , but you will likely find them on YouTube"

*WHOOOSH!*

"Who would want to watch that?"

*WHOOOSH!*

^^^^^ exactly, waste time and money for everyone.

FIBA need to scrap these games. Neither side gains anything from a beat down like that.

If you go to the fibs website and then to the host country you may find a link to the games, most of them are taped though not often live , but you will likely find them on YouTube

Pathetic there was no live stream for all of us junior basketball lovers/parents.

Hey, Has anyone ever heard or knows of someone who has used these guys? Its a company setup to help players get over to the states to play college basketball. The guy has come to me with a few offers but am not sure if its a legimate service and dont wanna fork out the money to sham.... the website is http://www.athletesabroad.com/