PNG 3x3 Basketball Teams go Down to Kazakhstan and Indonesia

The 2025 Federation of International Basketball Association (FIBA) 3x3 Asia Cup tipped off yesterday (March 26th) in Singapore, where different countries within the Asian region have converged in the heart of the ‘Lion City’ to compete for international glory. 

Kazakhstan edged PNG men’s with an 18-16 win, while Indonesia proved too strong against the PNG women’s team with a 17-5 margin. The men’s match went down to the wire while the women’s game was a one-sided affair. 

The men’s team was skippered by veteran Sibona Kala, ever-reliable Moses Lune, Ryan Tetemo, and rising star Moses Kairi. PNG Paradise quartet put on a show during the first day of the tournament and fought courageously, but went down to Kazakhstan by 2 points.

On the contrary, the PNG women’s team was led by seasoned campaigner Betty Angula, supported by Nomarlisha Dobunaba, Betina Dobunaba, and debutant Hannah Kalua. They gave their best but the Indonesian girls outclassed them. 

Despite losing to Kazakhstan and Indonesia, PNG Paradise teams have quality players who are capable of giving other teams a run for their money. They need to polish up in a few areas and put on their best performances in the remaining matches. 

Rookie head coach for PNG Paradise men’s and women’s teams, Gabriel Elavo was pleased with the results but wanted his players to be patient, communicate, and make fewer errors on the court to give themselves a winning chance.

“We played composed and got open looks, with good mismatches on rotations, and made some good buckets (points). Our free throw shooting was good with over 80% and our defensive effort from the paint was great,” Elavo stressed.

“We have to cut down turnovers, cut down on careless fouls, and don't take rush shots. We have to be better in decision-making, be patient on offense, and stick to our sets. 

“Our short clock awareness is lacking. We need to make good leads to get open, be more communicative on defense, and be mindful of our rotations.   

“We have to focus on what we can control as a team. The great thing is that there’s still a lot of room for improvement.”

PC: FIBA