Early rematch for Jr. Nationals, Sonics in Rotary opening today

The 2008 Saipan Rotary Club Youth Basketball League will kick off today with a game featuring last season’s finalists the CNMI Junior Nationals and the Southern Sonics.

Game time is at 5:30pm at the Gilbert C. Ada Gym.

The Junior Nationals are this year’s defending champion in the 18-and-under league, as they prevailed over the Sonics in last season’s championship game, 98-91. The Rufino Aguon-mentored Junior Nationals advanced to the finals after dethroning the G-Rollers I in the semifinals, 76-73, while the Sonics claimed the second finals ticket after downing the San Antonio Sixers, 94-88.

The semifinalists in last year’s Rotary caging will battle for the championship trophy this season, along with four other teams, namely the G-Rollers II, Capital Hill, the G-Stars and the Kagman Suns.

The Juniors Nationals will miss several players who were part of the champion team last season. Bill Babauta is now based in Guam, studying at the University of Guam, while Keoni Chariton, Jerome Norita, and Steven Tenorio are over the age limit.

Jericho Cruz, last season’s regular season and finals MVP, will be back to lead the Junior Nationals’ bid for back-to-back titles and will be joined by Jayvan Tarkong, Allen Moses, Marvin Rabauliman, and newcomers, Joseph White, and Jose Castro. John Villagomez and Heartim Williams, who are alternates on the Junior Nationals squad will also play in the Rotary caging.

The Junior Nationals will be using the games in the Rotary caging to prepare for the Oceania 19-and-under tournament on Guam next month.

“We are using the Rotary as a tune-up for the Guam games. In the Rotary, players are instructed to execute our plays both on offense and defense. The possibility of getting injured during the tournament is there, so they are told to be careful, but they still need to play with the same intensity that we expect from them,” Aguon said.

Like the Junior Nationals, the Sonics of coach Jesse Tudela will also be without their gunners from last year’s lineup. John Lim, who shared the regular season MVP honors with Cruz last season, Jason Bahillo and Lerio Pagarao are over the age limit.

Left to lead the Sonics’ bid to take the elusive championship trophy is Manuel Ajoste, who will be joined by several players from the Junior Sonics squad.

Games in the Rotary caging will be played from Monday to Thursday with only one game set for each playing day.

Tomorrow, sister teams G-Rollers I and II will collide at 5:30pm, while the G-Stars will square off with the Sixers on Wednesday. The Sixers finished third last year, beating the G-Rollers I in the consolation match, 85-84.

This Thursday, Capital Hill will debut against the Suns.

This year’s Rotary caging will have a double round-robin format in the regular season with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals. [B][I](Roselyn B. Monroyo)[/I][/B]