Men’s 3×3 Basketball Wins Bronze Medal as Pacific Games Comes to a Close
20 July Pacific Games Apia Samoa. The Samoa Mens 3×3 basketball team beat Marshall Islands in the play off today to secure the bronze medal for Samoa.
The Samoa tam of Theodore Mcfarland, Ryan Paia, Dru Leo Ape and Ezra Tufuga succumbed to Fiji in the semi finals loosing the chance to play for Gold. Guam beat Fiji in the finals to take the gold medal
Team Coach Steve Schuster said they had made crucial mistakes and Fiji capitalised.
Unlike other countries who brought different players for the 3×3, Samoa used the same players.
“It’s been tough for the boys to move from the 5×5 version to the 3×3, without any time to practice and get used to the switch,” said Schuster.
Samoa Men’s 3×3 secured a comfortable wins over the Cook Islands 17-7 and PNG 22-7 and Solomon Islands 19-8 on the way to the bronze medal.
The 3×3 bronze for Samoa is one of several medals won on the last day of the 2 week event.
The Samoa Triathlon team of Darren Young, Sosefina Sooaemalelagi and Teofilo Molioo came in third place to win bronze.
The Samoa Women’s Football and the Samoa Women’s Touch team both lost in their respective finals to secure silver medals for the hosts who are fighting to maintain their 2nd place spot in the overall Games results.
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