DPS teams face forfeits in govt league

The two Department of Public Safety teams currently seeing action in the 2004 Government Basketball League will not be allowed to play in their remaining games until they pay in full their entry fees, according to the Basketball Association of the Northern Mariana Islands.

In their regular monthly meeting last Tuesday, BANMI board members unanimously voted to forfeit the future games of DPS I and DPS II until such time the teams settle their accounts with the islands’ ruling body for basketball.

BANMI records show that of all 12 teams seeing action in the league set up specifically for the Commonwealth’s civil servants, only DPS I and DPS II have failed to pay their entry fees in full.

The entry fee for the 2004 season of the Government Basketball League is $375, which will be used to pay the usage fee for the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium, referees, and other associated costs.

According to BANMI, DPS I has forked over a partial payment of $100, while DPS II has not remitted any monies to the association.

The other participating teams in the government league, which started last month, are defending champion Northern Marianas College, Department of Community and Cultural Affairs, Public School System, Department of Labor, Commonwealth Health Center, Office of Public Auditor, Procurement & Supply, Saipan Mayor’s Office, and Tinian.

The next scheduled game of DPS II was yesterday’s encounter with NMC in the nightcap, while DPS I is set take the hard court against P&S in the second game of this coming Friday’s doubleheader.

BANMI said both DPS I and DPS II could still avoid the forfeitures if they come up with the payment on or before 4:30pm of their next game.

The association decided during its monthly meeting in November not to allow teams to play in BANMI-sanctioned leagues unless they pay entry fees first. BANMI said as it is, they have already extended their grace period for the two teams.

In an earlier story, Saipan Tribune reported some 20 teams, from as way back as 2001, owe BANMI an estimated $4,000 in entrance fees alone. BANMI also charges $5 per player as membership fee and if counted, a couple of hundred dollars would be added to the total.

The $4,000 owed to BANMI could have covered a portion of the estimated $20,000 needed to send both a men’s and women’s team to the 2004 Palau South Pacific Mini Games. The CNMI will be sending neither a men’s or women’s team to the quadrennial games.

DPS I and DPS II could contact BANMI president Mike Muna at 664-3582 or 483-6453 or vice president Elias Rangamar at 664-2503 or 664-2508 for more clarification.