Khalu plots PNG’s rise

By PETER PUSAL
PNG men’s basketball coach Joel Khalu is adamant his squad have the ability to beat the Pacific’s leading teams because of the foundation the team have been built on: consistency and constancy.
Khalu, who has been coach of the country’s top team since 2013 believes he has the pieces to put up a strong challenge and surprise Oceania’s leading sides at this year’s Pacific Games in Samoa.
A former Basketball Federation of PNG chief executive officer, Khalu said as a coach he wanted his side to reach a certain level of performance and not just be good enough to beat the opposition.
“We have to get to a certain level,” Khalu, who was in the country to run the first men’s squad training at the Taurama Aquatic Centre, said.
“I think what’s great is that any time you get some consistency in sport with coaches and players, it always makes it a lot easier so you with this group I’ve been fortunate enough to coach them since 2013, the Pacific Championships and 2019 will be my sixth year at the helm and we’ve seen pretty good progression from 2013 (Oceania titles) coming seventh then to 2015 coming fourth (at the Pacific Games) and in 2017 winning the Melanesian Cup, we’ve been able to build but these things take time.”
PNG missed out on a medal at the last Pacific Games in Port Moresby losing to Fiji in the bronze medal playoff but Khalu said he felt the team was on its way to shaking up the pecking order in 2019.
“In 2019, I think it’s going to be our best opportunity to win a medal.
“I think with the consistency and sustainability of the players we’ve had. A lot of these guys know my systems and philosophies, so it always makes it a lot easier coming to training camp when you’re not so much teaching, you’re fine tuning,” the
“I’m really excited. I’m really excited about next year, I think I like our chances.
“I know it’s not going to be easy but we’ve got a really good group that has the ability to go win a gold medal.”
The PNG squad are expected to have another training camp with Khalu returning to the national capital in the first quarter of 2019 and another one before the Pacific Games in June or July.
“We plan to have a number of training camps in the lead up to the Pacific Games with one in January and one right before the Games in June or July,” the Cairns-based Khalu said.
“We also hope to have one between that in March-April but it all comes down to funding from the PNG Olympic Committee and sponsors.”
Khalu said the squad in Port Moresby would be overseen by his assistant Boyet Daroya and he anticipated cutting the squad down after the second camp to prepare for the run into the Apia Games.