Twenty-five year-old Francyne Solomon is among the new faces set to make their debut for the Solomon Islands Women’s National Basketball Team in the FIBA Melanesian Cup 2025, which tips off in Honiara on Monday.
Speaking to Star Sports, the D-Fenders Basketball Club player expressed her pride and excitement about representing the country for the first time.
“I am so happy to have the opportunity to represent my country for the very first time. It’s both a nervous and exciting feeling for me at the moment, but overall I’m ready to give my all for the team so that we can achieve our goals,” she said.
With the Solomon Islands set to host the prestigious Melanesian Sub-Zone competition for the first time, Solomon said she is confident in the team’s preparations.
“It will be a lot of pressure playing on our home court, but at the same time I’m super excited to play in front of my family and friends.
“We know our local supporters will be expecting a good performance, and I’m confident that we’ll make them proud,” she added.
Basketball runs in Solomon’s family with her father, Yaxley Solomon, a former national rep, but she shared that her personal love for the sport truly began in high school.
“My father is a former basketball player, so I was exposed to the sport from an early age. But my real love for basketball started in high school when I joined the Betikama Adventist College (BAC) school team. That’s when I really found myself happy and at home,” she recalled.
The young talent, who has roots in Temotu, Malaita, and Western Province, said her goal is to build on her father’s legacy.
“My goal is to follow in my father’s footsteps and at the same time, go beyond and set my own path. I hope to have more international outings with the national team in the future,” she said.
The 2025 FIBA Melanesian Cup will begin in Honiara on October 13, featuring both men’s and women’s teams from Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Solomon Islands.
The top two finishers from each category will also qualify for the 2027 Pacific Games in Tahiti.
By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara
