Basketball meet attracts 20 teams

By KEVIN TEME
TWENTY teams in Southern Highlands have confirmed participation in the Erave Open basketball tournament.
The tournament, which is set for Dec 16, has lured interest from the local villages including Mararoko, Yangoli, Tiapili, Golu, Sumbura, Katiloma, Suku Valley, Polopa and hosts Erave.
Tournament director Timothy Mako told The National from Mt Hagen on Monday that the tournament was set to go.
“This will be the first time for Erave to host such an event and will be looking forward to establishing a committee to run the affairs of the association to push for participation at the national scene,” he said.
Mako said that he had talks with the Basketball Federation of PNG president and was confident Erave would send a team to participate at the national championship.
“We will select a side in the tournament and become a member of the federation to be recognised.
“I believe all things about basketball is yet to come good under the new executives and we the highlands block will try to work towards achieving what basketball has missed out on for the last years,” he said.
Mako also confirmed that Kagua Basketball Association had also expressed interest in affiliating to the federation.
Meanwhile, Mako has called up on all business houses in the region, including ExxonMobil, Gobe Oil project, Petroleum Resources Kutubu, Mineral Resource Development Company and other business houses in the province to step forward with funding assistance.
CIVPAC managing director Dickson Tasi, who is also the co-sponsor of the Port Moresby Vipers, is willing to support the tournament.
Those who are willing to support the tournament should contact Mako on phone 7219 4255.