Settsu considers return to Saipan

Settsu Red Impulse is hoping to return to Saipan after enjoying a receptive home crowd during 2009 Settsu-Saipan Friendship Basketball Tournament.

Susumu Sakaguchi, one of the assistant coaches of Red Impulse, said they appreciated spectators at the Marianas High School Gymnasium, which hosted the inaugural caging from March 26 to 27.

“We were the visiting team, but they were cheering for us. Our players were inspired to play for two days here because of the crowd and because of the appreciative crowd, we intend to return next year,” said Susumu Sakaguchi through interpreter Yoshiro Kishimoto, president of Biz Aid Saipan Enterprises.

Biz Aid through Marianas Visitors Authority brought Settsu Red Impulse, an Osaka-based club, on Saipan. The group visited various historical sites in its first few days on Saipan and then played against the island’s bets last Thursday and Friday with Basketball Association of Northern Mariana Islands organizing the two-day caging.

Settsu fielded a boys’ 16-and-under team and girls’ 14-and-under squad in the tournament.

Settsu’s cagers held their ground against the junior varsity team of Marianas High School before losing by a point, 74-75.

“But although we lost against the home team, we still got support from the crowd and we love playing for the crowd,” Sakaguchi said.

Several MHS teachers brought their classes to the gym to watch the games and show hospitality to the visitors. Some students from other schools also went to the gym to see the Japanese brand of basketball, which is fast-paced and involves a lot of ball movement.

Settsu’s cagebelles drew even more people, as they wowed spectators with their outside shots, good passing skills, and quick moves toward the basket.

The visitors went on to take the girls’ 14-and-under title after beating the MISO Junior Varsity All-Stars, 61-44. Saipan Southern High School defeated the MHS Dolphins, 106-72, to claim the boys 16-and-under title.

Other schools that participated in the tournament were Hopwood, Chacha Oceanview, and Kagman High School.

Tournament coordinator Gabriel White, on behalf of BANMI, thanked teacher’s and principals of the participating schools for allowing their students to join the tournament.

BANMI also thanked the Physical Education Department of MHS for helping the association run the tournament at the MHS gym.

The association also acknowledged the assistance of MVA for hosting the awards banquet, Lawrence Camacho and Pete Igisomar for helping out in the barbecue dinner and Kishimoto, and Big Boyz Marine’s Masani Yasuda for coordinating the arrival, accommodation, entertainment and departure of Settsu Red Impulse.

“And of course, we thanked Settsu for donating championship trophies, prizes for MVPs, tournament towels, and other basketball equipment to BANMI,” White said.

“We hope to do have the tournament, again, next year, and hopefully in the coming years have more players and more Japanese teams going to Saipan to play basketball and experience our hospitality,” White added.