Aussie Olympic coach to lead young Opals

Basketball Australia has selected Australian Olympic coach Peter Lonergan to lead the Australian women’s team at the 2009 Oceania Basketball Tournament in Saipan.

Lonergan served as assistant coach of the Australian Opals Women’s National Team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where the Opals took the silver medal.

He has also served as assistant coach for the Women’s National Team at the 2006 FIBA World Championships in Brazil, and the 2007 William Jones Cup, and participated in the Opals’ pre-Olympics tours of China, Spain, and Italy. He serves as head coach of the Australian Under 17 Women’s National Team. He also has extensive coaching experience at the regional and state levels in Australia.

Reflecting on his experience at the Olympics, Lonergan said, “The Beijing Olympics was a special time, and to be a part of international sport’s biggest showcase was the opportunity to a lifetime. International basketball continues to improve and the standard of competition and athleticism at Beijing was a step up even from the World Championships just two years prior. The Opals are a special team to be part of, and the Olympic silver medal is a wonderful achievement for our nation.”

Lonergan is looking forward to the Oceania Tournament.

“The Australian team will be a young and athletic group and have a unique opportunity to represent their country in a prestigious event in a beautiful part of the world. We are looking forward to the challenge of playing against teams from throughout Oceania and enjoying the culture of your wonderful country.”

Elias Rangamar, president of the Basketball Association of the Northern Mariana Islands, which is organizing the tournament under the auspices of FIBA Oceania, welcomed the news of Lonergan’s appointment.

“It’s a real privilege to participate in a tournament involving such high level coaches and players, especially a coach as distinguished as Peter Lonergan. I’m sure that every one of the Island nations in the tournament will learn something from Coach Lonergan.”

The Oceania Tournament will be held in Saipan from June 20 to June 28. Australia and New Zealand, along with Pacific basketball powerhouses New Caledonia, Fiji, Tahiti, and Guam, and our North Pacific neighbor Palau, will send national men’s and women’s teams to compete with CNMI’s best.

Gold sponsors for the tournament so far include CNMI business anchors Tan Holdings and the Joeten Charitable Foundation. Rangamar expressed his appreciation to these companies, and noted that additional sponsorship opportunities are still available for companies who want to take advantage of associating with this prestigious tournament.

For further information about sponsorship opportunities, contact Rangamar at 664-2502, or Mike White at 234-6547.[B][I] (PR)[/I][/B]