Taina Basiyalo 
[Photo: Supplied]
Fiji’s national basketball team begins its FIBA Asia Cup 2029 Pre-Qualifiers campaign tonight, taking on Thailand at the Mbank Arena in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The opening clash tips off at 8pm Fiji time, with Fiji using the three-game tournament to measure itself against opposition beyond the Pacific.
Fiji will then face Mongolia on Sunday at 9pm before rounding out the campaign against Vietnam on Monday at 8pm.
Head coach Manoa Puamau says the tournament is an important opportunity to establish where Fiji basketball stands on the international stage while challenging the players to believe they belong at this level.
“This tournament is about finding out where Fiji basketball genuinely sits outside the Pacific. We respect every opponent, but we also want our players to understand that Fiji belongs in these environments. Development is part of the journey, but our mentality has to be to compete and win.”
The Fijian side will also have plenty of home support despite being thousands of kilometres away, with the local Fijian community in Mongolia rallying behind the team.
Puamau says the support has helped the squad feel at home.
“We are all grateful for the Fijian community here. They made us feel at home away from home.”
With three games in four days, Fiji faces a demanding test, but the objective is clear: compete, learn and prove that Fijian basketball can hold its own beyond the Pacific.
