Lanky French

Tower In

Basketball

To no one’s surprise, French Polynesia proved to be the Games basketballers. Their men’s team was very tall, with most players over six feet, fast on their feet and accurate shooters.

Their team was the only combina tion of international standard, but keen competition for silver and bronze medals in both the men’s and women’s meets gave the big crowds in the early games at Hohola Courts plenty of entertainment.

New Caledonia, NG and Nauru were strong but left their winning runs until late in the series. New Guinea chalked up a good win over the small, tough men from Guam and also surprised by almost doubling the highly-rated Caledonian’s score in a Saturday night game. Fiji generally disappointed through lack of initiative and poor shooting; the stocky Nauruans weren’t as slow as they looked and several proved great shooters.

Average age 18

The small, young Solomon Islanders were beaten badly by most.

With an average age of 18, they had no experience and could not handle the winds or the springy basket ring.

Hohola Courts were top-class, their lighting facilities excellent for the many night matches and the overall refereeing good, despite isolated mis understandings between coaches.

Members of territory teams sup ported their basketball players far more than in other sports, especially table tennis.

French Polynesia fully deserved its medals; their players were a delight to watch and won’t be easily beaten in Tahiti in ’7l. Nauru and Guam proved to be the most improved battlers but they were hardly a serious threat. • Several New Caledonian team members arrived in Port Moresby without any formal clothes. They complained when the hotel at which they were staying required them to dress for certain occasions. “They could have relaxed their rules for the Games,” said one contestant.