Club revived by long-time fan

 THE Jokers Basketball Club has now joined the semi-professional, PNG Men’s Basketball League (PMBL).

Jokers franchise owner Konio Aila Polo flew from Cairns, Australia, to officiate at the launching of the club’s uniform at the Grand Papua Hotel in Port Moresby on Sunday.

Born and bred at Hohola, Ms Aila Polo wanted to revive the former glamour club of past Port Moresby Basketball Association days in memory of her late uncle Chatter Aila, who rubbed shoulders with some of the PNG’s big guns in Moses Koiri, Fred Elavo, Maurice Elavo and Moi Muri.

She said the Jokers are once of the original clubs for the area and there was still a lot of community backing for the club to come back to the court. 

The majority of the players are from Hohola and the club is extending the invitation to players in other suburbs in the Moresby Northwest electorate to join.

Polo appealed to corporate sponsors to help provide opportunityies for unemployed youths.

Apart from the A grade the club will field U15s and U20s teams for boys and girls. 

The club will draw their players from Hohola Youth Development Centre and also Jubilee Secondary School and the surrounding schools at Hohola Basketball Courts. The launching of the uniform s was witnessed by Angus Ali who stood in for Northwest MP and Minister for Health, Michael Malabag.