Lae confident for basketball tourney

By MALUM NALU


From left (back) are Russell Stafford, Joe Giali, Peter Buala, Lawrence Lahari (coach), Richard Soba, Jonathan Orme and Mika Laho while front are Wayne Aaron, Junior Oscar, Percy Aaron and Michael Kramer.-Picture by BOB AARON

 Lae is quietly confident of doing well in this weekend’s Port Moresby invitational tournament at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby.
The tournament brings together the finest talent in the country at the moment from Port Moresby, Tubusereia, Exodus club and Lae.
Staunch supporter and former Papua New Guinea international Bob Aaron, who is also one of the sponsors of the team, said the Lae team would use the tournament as build-up to the Jan 28-31 Far North Queensland All Stars competition, as well as this years Pacific Games.
He also made an 11th-hour appeal to potential sponsors to chip and help the Lae team, following Wednesday’s K25, 000 sponsorship of the Port Moresby Papuan Blacks by Pacific MMI to the same tournament.
“Most of our players are young students and are part of the national development squad,” Aaron said from Lae.
“This will be a stepping stone for the Pacific Games this year.”
Aaron said the youngsters from Lae had been undergoing training since last November, and with players from Yanga and Butibam villages in top form following last month’s Ahi Festival, would be out to give the rest a run for their money.