Australia’s U17 Men and Women maintained their excellent form at the 2025 FIBA U17 Oceania Cup, delivering composed, high-impact performances to secure their places in the semi-finals as competition heats up in Samoa.
Both squads showed the depth and cohesion that have powered their unbeaten runs through group and seeding play.
U17 Women Power Into Semi-Finals With Statement Win
The U17 Women continued their dominant campaign with a commanding 98–48 victory over New Zealand, setting up a semi-final matchup with confidence and energy. Australia’s collective effort was evident in every quarter, with multiple players stepping up on both ends of the floor.
Leading the charge were:
- Taryn Bond — 17 points, injecting pace and scoring early to set the tone.
- Sitaya Fagan — 16 points, 13 rebounds, anchoring the interior and posting another double-double.
- Isabel Smith — 11 points, providing consistent scoring and spacing.
- Cheyenne Bobongie — 9 points, 5 assists, orchestrating the offence with poise and vision.
The Sapphires expected a battle, and they got one early — but their commitment to structure and scouting quickly took control of the game.
“We knew New Zealand were going to be a tough game, but sticking to our style of basketball and being locked in on the scouting report was the key to winning,” said Cheyenne Bobongie, who finished with 9 points and 5 assists.
Bobongie emphasised the impact of Australia’s key scorers.
“Taryn, Isabel and Sitaya were huge for us — just elite scorers. It’s great to play alongside them because it’s so easy to gel with them and push the pace.”
Australia shot 52 percent from the field, forced 20 turnovers and converted those into 31 points, while adding 42 points off the bench.
Their performance booked Australia’s spot among the final four alongside New Zealand, Samoa and the Cook Islands.
Crocs Edge New Zealand in Trans-Tasman Thriller
The U17 Men kept their unbeaten run alive with a hard-fought 93–87 win over New Zealand in the seeding phase, overcoming a double-digit first-half deficit to close out a classic trans-Tasman battle.
New Zealand jumped out early to lead 50–33 at half-time, but Australia responded with a composed second half, outscoring their rivals 60–37 behind improved defence and sharper execution down the stretch.
Australia also had important contributions across the rotation:
- William Hamilton added 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting,
- Harry Cook chipped in 9 points and 6 rebounds, and
- Austin Prosser provided a spark with 9 points on a perfect 4-of-4 from the field.
Jai Fa’ale was outstanding, finishing with 29 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist in 31 minutes, including 5 three-pointers and key free throws in the final stages.
Luke Paul orchestrated the comeback brilliantly, posting a near-triple-double with 18 points, 6 rebounds, and 15 assists in 37 minutes.
“It was up and down — the game was physical,” said Luke Paul, who finished with 18 points.
“There was a lot that influenced the game, but the big thing was us staying together. Everyone on our team can play 1–12 — trust was the biggest thing for us.”
Paul backed that up with 15 assists, he went on to share how much he’s enjoyed playing with this group, particularly with teammate Jai Fa’ale, who he also lives with in Canberra.
“I’ve lived with him for half a year — that’s my dog,” Paul said of Fa’ale, who scored many of his game-high 29 points off Paul’s assists.
“He’s one hell of a guy to play with. He’s always got your back through tough and good times. I love playing with him — and I get to do it every day back home.”
Daily competition with players like Fa’ale has helped elevate Paul’s game and prepare him for moments like this.
“Going to the CoE has helped me a lot — competing against the best guys in Australia every day. Jai, Hammo [William Hamilton], all of them. You can only get better doing that.”
The Crocs shot 46.8% from the field and 35% from three, while making 28 free throws, underlining their ability to capitalise on opportunities in a tight game and close out under pressure.
This result sends Australia into the semi-finals.
| Friday, 12 December | Semi-Finals | ||
| Women | 11:00am AEDT | GAME FOUR V COOK ISLANDS |
| Men | 3:30pm AEDT | GAME FOUR V GUAM |
| Access the men's tournament page here & women's tournament page here. | ||
