Emalina Latu will spend part of her freshman year at Sierra High down under.
She has been selected to the Tonga Basketball under-15 girls team and will compete in the FIBA U15 Oceania Cup from Nov. 11-16 at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.
“It’s really amazing to me,” Latu said after practicing with the Top Gun Manteca U15 club team. “I never thought I’d ever have this kind of opportunity to play for Tonga. This team has really motivated me to play better and better.”
Latu was discovered by Tonga coaches during the Jam On It Reno Memorial Day Tournament. Top Gun dominated the 10th grade, Level 3 division for first place. Latu was invited to join the team for training in Reno during the first week of August, and she immediately felt welcomed.
“I’m so excited and so nervous, but also grateful for the opportunity,” she said. “I’m grateful for the teammates they put me with.”
The team is coached by Joe Vega, who also heads the Reed High varsity girls in Sparks, Nev. Several players from western states, and a few others are overseas.
Top Gun coach Shane Lewis said Tonga has added a versatile 5-foot-7 player who can play all positions. Latu has only played the sport competitively for about two years, all with Top Gun. She also helped her Brock Elliott Elementary team claim the Acorn League championship last year.
“We want her to be a three-level scorer,” Lewis said. “She started with us as more of a post, but she has developed into someone who can shoot the 3 a little bit and drive to the lane. She has a high IQ and makes the right decisions. She can rebound, runs the floor well — does a lot for the team. She’s still so young. Looking forward to what she can do in basketball.
“This is a good opportunity for her. She’s putting in extra work, and we’re all very excited for her.”
At the Oceania Cup, Tonga is gunning for a top-two finish that would qualify them for the 2025 FIBA U16 Asia Cup, which gives them chance to vie for a spot in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball U17 World Cup. The third- and fourth-place teams earn bids for the 2025 FIBA U16 Women’s Asia Cup Division B.
The Oceania Cup will also include teams representing Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Samoa and Tahiti.
“I really hope this team can take me to the next level of basketball,” Latu said. “I want to gain more skill with these coaches, and I think as we get more chemistry, the better we’ll be.”
