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History of FIBA Oceania

First South Pacific Games, of which basketball is a sport, held in Fiji with French Polynesia claiming the gold medal

1967 Meeting convened in Western Australia to discuss formation of an Oceania Basketball zone

1968 Al Ramsay and Lance Cross speak to FIBA Congress in Mexico. Oceania Basketball is officially recognised by FIBA as a World Zone. Al Ramsay took the position of Secretary General, a volunteer position he held until 1997.

1969 First official meeting of the Oceania Basketball Confederation, Papua New Guinea

1971 First Oceania men’s Championship to qualify teams to FIBA international competition

1974 First Oceania women’s Championship to qualify teams to FIBA international competition

1977 Office of the Oceania Basketball confederation opens in Coffs Harbour, Australia

1981 First Oceania Tournament, Fiji

1984 First Oceania team in women’s Olympic Basketball tournament, Australian Opals in Los Angeles- finishing 5^th

1993 First World Championship gold medal to the Oceania region – Australian Youth women’s team

1994 Steve Smith appointed as deputy Secretary General, the first paid employee of Oceania Basketball Confederation.

1994 Australia hosts the 12^th World Women’s Championships in Sydney

1995 First Oceania Basketball Development Officer appointed

1997 Patricia Ramsay Award instituted, recognizing outstanding administrators in the Oceania region

1997 First Oceania Youth Tournament, Fiji

1998 Al Ramsay appointed President of FIBA Oceania, Steve Smith appointed as Secretary General.

1999 FIBA Oceania entered into employment partnerships with a number of Pacific Island National Olympic Committees and Basketball Federations to employ locally based Development Officers (National Basketball Development Officers-NBDO). Their role is to conduct grass roots development and basic administration within their country.

2000 First Oceania regional NBDO course

2001 First Oceania All Star Tour

2002 FIBA Oceania was accepted by the Australian Government as a partner organisation of the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development program (AYAD). This allowed FIBA Oceania to place young Australians in Basketball Development Officer positions in selected countries (nominated by the Australian Government) throughout the Pacific. Countries include Vanuatu (2002 & 2003), Tonga (2002), Fiji (2003 & 2004) and Papua New Guinea (2004)

2004 First Oceania Coaches Study Tour, Australia

2006 First Senior World Championship Gold Medal, as the Australian Opals win the gold medal at the FIBA Women’s World Championships in Brazil

2013 Secretary General Steve Smith retires, with David Crocker his replacement

2014 Office moved to Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory

2014 First open qualification tournament for all federations to qualify for World U19 Championships, held in Fiji