Australia has opened its 2025 FIBA U17 Oceania Cup campaign in style, with both the men and women U17 teams delivering dominant performances in Apia, Samoa to set the tone for the week ahead.
Crocs Open With Authority
The U17 Men impressed early with a commanding 113–42 win over Fiji, showcasing their depth and two-way discipline.
Isaac Riddle (20 points) and Jai Fa’ale (19 points, 6 rebounds) led the way in a balanced performance that saw Australia control the tempo at both ends.
For Fa’ale, playing in Samoa carried special significance.
“As a team, we want to apply more ball pressure because that’s an area we can keep improving,” Fa’ale said.
“We’ve just got to get better every game, and I know that’s what we’re going to do.”
While locked in on performance, the moment wasn’t lost on him given his Samoan heritage on his father’s side.
“It was really exciting when we found out the tournament was going to be here,” he said.
“My dad was pumped — he couldn’t wait to come over.”
“I was here when I was about 10 or 11, and coming back now, understanding more about where my dad comes from, I just want to make him proud — especially being here, in this country, representing Australia.”
U17 Women Assert Their Dominance
The U17 Women mirrored the men’s start with an emphatic 115–28 win over Fiji, fuelled by high-pressure defence that produced 41 turnovers and a scoring spread that saw seven players reach double figures.
Eliza Ashby (13 points) and Aspen Crase (15 rebounds) led the charge, while Sitaya Fagan and Olivia Olechnowicz helped keep Australia’s intensity high across all four quarters.
With her Polish heritage and a breakout year after joining the Centre of Excellence, Olivia Olechnowicz has quickly become one of the U17 Women’s most upbeat and impactful voices — both on and off the court.
“They’re [teammates] awesome — the amount of laughs we have together, they’re just genuinely nice people. And on the court, they’re phenomenal. Their skill level is through the roof,” Olechnowicz said of her teammates.
Reflecting on her development, she credits the CoE environment for accelerating her growth.
“Going to the CoE this year, my IQ off the court has improved so much. Understanding the game — knowing more about it — it’s just skyrocketed,” she said.
“I’m excited to keep developing and keep using it.”
Looking ahead, she added that the team’s approach remains grounded.
“Keep working hard, stay humble, stay true to ourselves, and do whatever the coach says,” she laughed.
Australia has also felt the warmth of the local support in Apia.
“The hospitality is so warm. Everyone in the stadium is like, ‘How are you guys?’ It’s awesome,” she said.
“And at our hotel there are these stray cats, which I love. It’s great.”
As the tournament progresses, Olechnowicz is also looking forward to time with family after the event.
“I’m going home with the family — lots of Polish relatives coming over,” she shared.
She finished with a personal message:
“Shout out to my auntie, who always helps me mentally and supports me through everything.”
| Wednesday, 10 December | ||
| Women | 9:00am AEDT | GAME TWO V GUAM |
| Men | 1:30pm AEDT | GAME TWO V GUAM |
| Access the men's tournament page here & women's tournament page here. | ||
Eyes Ahead
With strong starts in both divisions and qualification pathways to the 2026 FIBA U18 Asia Cups on the line, Australia enters the next phase of the Oceania Cup well-positioned and full of momentum.
