Australia’s U17 Men and Women brought the 2025 FIBA U17 Oceania Cup to a thrilling conclusion in Apia, Samoa, with both squads demonstrating resilience, talent and the depth that has powered their campaigns.
While the Sapphires added another continental title to their legacy, the Crocs pushed through to the final before ultimately being edged by New Zealand in a memorable men’s championship game.
U17 Women Clinch Fourth Straight Oceania Title in Convincing Fashion
Australia’s U17 Women capped a dominant week in Apia by securing their fourth consecutive FIBA U17 Women’s Oceania Cup title, defeating New Zealand 112–59 in the gold medal game to finish the tournament undefeated.
The Sapphires controlled the Final from start to finish, combining defensive pressure with trademark depth and ball movement to pull away across four quarters and once again assert their standing as the region’s benchmark.
Key Performers
- Sitaya Fagan (MVP) led with an all-around tournament: in the final she contributed 11 points and 9 rebounds, building on a week where she averaged 13.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game — numbers that earned her Most Valuable Player honours and All-Star Five selection.
- Madison Ryan also earned All-Star Five recognition alongside Fagan, anchoring the Sapphires’ offensive execution and defensive activity.
Australia’s performance qualifies them for the 2026 FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup.
Crocs Make Championship Game, Fall to New Zealand in Men’s Final
In the men’s competition, the Australian Crocs advanced to the U17 Oceania Cup gold medal game after a strong seeding and semi-final run, but were ultimately defeated 82–62 by New Zealand in the Final.
The Final was hard-fought from the outset, with New Zealand establishing a lead, Australia battled back to reduce the deficit in the second half but could not close it out.
Key Performers
- Jai Fa’ale averaged 17.8 points per game (second overall), shooting nearly 50% from the field, with his 29-point outing against New Zealand the highest single-game score of the tournament.
- Luke Paul led the competition in assists at 6.2 per game, recording a tournament-high 15 assists to go with 18 points in the seeding win over New Zealand.
Australia’s performance qualifies them for the 2026 FIBA U18 Asia Cup.
