BROOKLYN, N.Y. - LIU Brooklyn women's basketball alums Letava and Mikaelar Whippy have added one more accolade to their ever-impressive basketball resumes: gold medal winners. The two former Blackbirds helped lead the Fiji national team to the XV Pacific Games championship title in Papua New Guinea last week.
Fiji went 3-0 in pool play to advance to the quarter and semifinal rounds. Facing elmination, the Whippys, along with their teammates, then beat Papua New Guinea, 88-60, and Tahiti, 72-48, to advance to the championship game. There, the squad earned the win over American Samoa, 75-61, clinching gold medal honors for Fiji.
Both Whippys contributed to the team's run. Mikaelar had 16 points and eight rebounds in the win over Tahiti that advanced Fiji to the championship, and then had 15 points in the championship game. Letava had 12 points and six rebounds in the win over Tahiti, and also added 19 points and eight rebounds in the opening round win over New Caledonia.
For more information on the XV Pacific Games, visit www.portmoresby2015.com.