Ioane Naivalurua second from left. [Source: Supplied]

Basketball Fiji President Ioane Naivalurua has been elected to the FIBA Oceania Board, a feat the federation will be using to grow the game.

He was elected during the FIBA Oceania’s Zone Assembly hosted in Gold Coast, Australia on Saturday.

Naivalurua says his appointment now guarantees that Basket Fiji has a voice and seat at the regional level, pushing their focus of strengthening the functions of the federation, increase women’s participation and presence at all levels of the sport as well as grow the basketball footprint in the country.

To facilitate the growth of basketball in Fiji, Naivalurua highlights that they first need to win gold at the Pacific Games.

He adds they need to internally seek more corporate partners and to improve key stakeholders’ engagement to help propel them forward in sustaining their operational goal.

The BF president goes on to say that they will need to contribute effectively in the shaping and growth of the younger generation and transform the federation from being a grant dependent organization to a commercially run organization.

David Reid was elected the new FIBA Oceania President.

Five elected board members:
John Carey (Australia)
Megan Compain (New Zealand)
Jubilee Kuartei (Palau)
Frank Cruz (Guam)
Ioane Naivalurua (Fiji)