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Zitina Aokuso

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Zitina Aokuso
No. 15 – Willetton Tigers
PositionPower forward / centre
LeagueNBL1 West
Personal information
Born (1998-11-23) 23 November 1998 (age 26)
Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
Listed height193 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Career information
High schoolRuncorn State
(Brisbane, Queensland)
Playing career2016–present
Career history
2016–2017BA Centre of Excellence
2017–2024Townsville Fire
2018Logan Thunder
2019Geelong Supercats
2021Melbourne Tigers
2022Ballarat Miners
2023–2024Mount Gambier Pioneers
2024–2025OGM Ormanspor
2025–presentWilletton Tigers
Career highlights
Medals
Women's basketball
Representing  Australia
FIBA Asia Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Jordan

Zitina Lusia Aokuso (born 23 November 1998) is an Australian professional basketball player.

Early life

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Aokuso was born in Penrith, New South Wales.[1] She attended Runcorn State High School in Brisbane, Queensland.[2][3]

Professional career

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WNBL

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In May 2017, Aokuso signed with the Townsville Fire of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) for the 2017–18 season.[4] She helped the Fire win the 2017–18 WNBL championship.

In April 2018, Aokuso re-signed with the Fire on a two-year contract.[5]

In the 2018–19 WNBL season, Aokuso stepped up in the absence of Suzy Batkovic to average 10.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.[6]

Aokuso missed the entire 2019–20 WNBL season with an ACL injury suffered during the 2019 pre-season.[3][7]

In February 2020, Aokuso re-signed with the Fire on a two-year contract.[8]

With the Fire in the 2020 WNBL Hub season in Queensland, Aokuso averaged 9.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 16 games.[9]

Aokuso continued with the Fire in 2021–22, 2022–23 and 2023–24.[9][10]

Overseas

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For the 2024–25 season, Aokuso joined OGM Ormanspor of the Turkish Women's Basketball Super League.[11]

Australian state leagues

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In 2016 and 2017, Aokuso played for the BA Centre of Excellence in the South East Australian Basketball League.[11]

Aokuso played for the Logan Thunder of the Queensland Basketball League in the 2018 season.[11] She then joined the Geelong Supercats of the NBL1 for the inaugural 2019 season.[11]

Aokuso joined the Melbourne Tigers of the NBL1 South for the 2021 season.[11] She then played for the Ballarat Miners in the 2022 NBL1 South season.[11]

For the 2023 NBL1 South season, Aokuso joined the Mount Gambier Pioneers.[11] She missed the first half of the season due to injury.[12] She returned to the Pioneers for the 2024 season.[12]

Aokuso joined the Willetton Tigers of the NBL1 West for the 2025 season.[13] On 25 April 2025, she recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists in a 94–56 win over the Kalamunda Eastern Suns.[14][15] On 31 May, she recorded another triple-double with 14 points, 19 rebounds and 10 assists in 104–73 loss to the Cockburn Cougars.[16][17]

National team career

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Aokuso made her international debut for the Gems at the 2016 FIBA Under-18 Oceania Championship in Suva, Fiji. Australia would take home the gold and Aokuso herself was named most valuable player of the gold medal game.[18] Aokuso would then go on to represent the Gems at the 2017 Under-19 World Cup in Italy the following year, where they finished in sixth place overall.[19]

In April 2019, Aokuso was named to her first ever Opals squad and attended her first team camp on the Gold Coast.[20] Aokuso was then named to the Opals selection camp in Phoenix, Arizona ahead of the 2019 FIBA Asia Cup.[21]

In May 2025, Aokuso was named in the Opals squad for the 2025 FIBA Women's Asia Cup in China.[22]

Personal life

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Aokuso has a Samoan background and comes from a big Samoan family.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Zitina Aokuso". fiba.com. Archived from the original on 10 July 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  2. ^ Sicari, Luke (28 September 2016). "Australian Gems named for FIBA Oceania U18 Championships". pickandroll.com.au. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "Zitina Aokuso, Inspiring the young | WNBL". WNBL. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  4. ^ "Fire signing a slam dunk". townsvillebulletin.com.au. 30 May 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  5. ^ Townsville (3 April 2018). "AOKUSO INKS TWO-YEAR DEAL". Townsville Fire. wnbl.com.au.
  6. ^ "WNBL 2018/19: Suzy Batkovic last game, Zitina Aokuso, Opals, basketball". Fox Sports. 16 January 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  7. ^ van Oorschot, Vincent (11 September 2020). "WNBL Player Spotlight: Townsville Fire - Zitina Aokuso". Basketball Rookie Me Central. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  8. ^ Flanagan, Sam (4 February 2020). "Gun centre Zitina Aokuso has put pen to paper on a new contract in Townsville". townsvillebulletin.com.au. Retrieved 25 April 2025. Aokuso has put pen to paper on a new two-year deal with the Townsville Fire, becoming the club's first signing in what's looming as a crucial off-season.
  9. ^ a b "Zitina Aokuso Statistics". wnbl.basketball. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  10. ^ "Zitina Aokuso to Depart Townsville Fire for New Opportunities in Europe - Townsville Fire". Townsville Fire. 11 May 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "Zitina Aokuso, Basketball Player, News, Stats - Eurobasket". Eurobasket LLC. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  12. ^ a b "Z Is Back!". nbl1.com.au. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  13. ^ "Opals star signs with Willetton". nbl1.com.au. 25 April 2025. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  14. ^ "Tigers vs Suns". nbl1.com.au. 25 April 2025. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  15. ^ "West Recap | Anzac Round Friday". nbl1.com.au. 25 April 2025. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  16. ^ "Cougars vs Tigers". nbl1.com.au. 31 May 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  17. ^ Pike, Chris (1 June 2025). "West Recap | Round 9 Saturday". authory.com. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
  18. ^ "Australia punch their ticket to FIBA U19 Women's World Championship 2017". fiba.basketball.
  19. ^ "SIXTH-PLACED FINISH FOR GEMS AT FIBA UNDER-19 WORLD CUP". australia.basketball.
  20. ^ "OPALS SQUAD LIST ANNOUNCED AHEAD OF FIRST CAMP FOR 2019". australia.basketball.
  21. ^ "CHEMIST WAREHOUSE AUSTRALIAN OPALS SQUAD NAMED FOR ASIA CUP SELECTION CAMP". australia.basketball.
  22. ^ "Twelve Opals up for Asia Cup". www.australia.basketball. 22 May 2025. Retrieved 5 June 2025.
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