Runica Falcam
| No. 70 – Retired | |
|---|---|
| Position | Bigfur |
| Species | Malayan Tapir ( Tapiridae ) |
| Gender | Female |
| Nickname(s) | |
| Runestone | |
| Personal information | |
| Born |
July 21, 2001 Nauru |
| Nationality | Nauruan |
| Listed height | 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) |
| Listed weight | 274 lb (124 kg) |
| Shoots | Right-handed |
| Career information | |
| School | N/A |
| FBA draft | 2019 / Round: 1 / Pick: 16th overall |
| Selected by the San Jose Thrust | |
| Pro playing career | 2019–2025 |
| Career history | |
| 2019 - 2021 | San Jose Thrust |
| 2021 - 2022 | Texas Lone Stars |
| 2022 - 2025 | Oregon Swashbucklers |
| Contract information | |
| Contract year | 2025 |
| Player Contacts | |
| (IC) Agent | Kyuji |
| (OOC) Creator | Kyuji |
| (OOC) Actor | Unknown |
| (OOC) Usage | Ask me before any use |
Biography
Runica Falcam was born on the island country of Nauru, to father Brandon and mother Isa. She was extremely active as a child, taking an interest in sports from almost the moment she gathered her full walking ability. She discovered basketball thanks to her father, who was formerly a member of the Australian national team. She practiced with him for several years until age five, learning the basics of the game. After learning of a local youth league that was forming in their area, Brandon enrolled his daughter, who became the best player her coaches had ever seen on the island.
Isa and Brandon agreed that the young tapir was far too good to continue to play in Nauru, knowing that the lack of challenge in competition would cause her interest and skills to stagnate. They disagreed on where she should go, however; Isa suggested they move north toward Japan, and Brandon believed she would blossom further in Australia. Their disagreement lasted the entire second half of the league season, with Isa finally giving in and agreeing to leave her lifelong home to support her daughter. However, tragedy struck the Falcam family when Isa died suddenly in her sleep the night after the final game of Runica's season. No cause of death was ever formally announced.
Brandon, at this point, decided to take Runica to Australia with him, leaving behind the only home that the young tapir had ever known. She said goodbye to all of her friends and coaches, dreading the thought of having to start all over in a new country. Part of her worried that with how much she dominated her league in Nauru, she was going to be set up for failure, to be overmatched and never want to play the sport again. She missed her mother, and knew her life was going to change forever. She was scared, confiding in her father that she wasn't sure she wanted to leave. Brandon reassured her that he would be there for her every step of the way, and Runica reluctantly accepted his words.
The two arrived in Sydney, Brandon's childhood home, and Runica was immediately enrolled in a basketball program along with beginning her primary education. Indeed, Brandon was there every step of the way, going to all of her games and being her biggest cheerleader. Basketball became Runica's refuge from the harshness of school and being ""the new girl."" Even in a more populous and challenging environment, Runica excelled at the sport. In fact, she grew around it, hitting a rather hefty growth spurt right before her teens. She shot up in height, and with it, she also grew stronger. At age thirteen, she began to participate in rugby leagues during the basketball off-season, honing herself to be tougher mentally and physically.
By the age of sixteen, Runica was well over seven feet tall, an created an imposing force for all of her opponents. She chose to focus on basketball at this point due to her incredible height, and dominated the game over most of her shorter peers. Many plays ended up being run where she would force herself inside, and she'd either simply make a layup or even the occasional dunk. The tapir was dominant, and earned national scouting and attention.
At age fifteen, after nearing the end of her education, Runica was chosen for the under-17 national team, and ended up working her way up to the starting center position. She quickly earned the respect of her team with her knowledge of the game and her stout defense. She helped them earn a trip to the semifinals, though they were beaten by France and had to settle for third place. Runica was named to the all-tournament team for her efforts, and scouts from all over the world now began to take notice of the young phenom.
She spent two more years with the national team, including one year with the under-19 team, before being offered chances to train with professional leagues in Australia and Asia. Upon sharing these opportunities with her father and teammates, they collectively told her that she should instead focus on the greatest basketball stage in the world: the FBA. Therefore, shortly before her eighteenth birthday, the tapir made up her mind, submitting her name to the FBA Draft. She was ready to face her greatest challenge yet...