Uniforms on their way for Mobil cagers

With the 6th Annual Mobil Oil Invitational Co-ed Basketball League expected to get underway in less than a month, officials and teams are busy prepping in hopes of staging a successful season.

In an interview yesterday, league commissioner Abner Venus disclosed that the uniforms for each team competing in the league has already been ordered and should arrive in the first or second week of January. All uniforms will feature the same design, with each team assigned a base color.

“Everything is set and things are looking good,” Venus said. “The uniforms are on their way and will be here before our target date.”

Venus said the league is tentatively scheduled for the third week of January to give way to the hosting of the Micronesian Basketball Tournament.

“We’ll wait for the MBT to finish and once it’s done, we’re going to start,” he said.

Fiesta Resort and Spa Saipan, then Dai-Ichi Hotel Saipan Beach, leads the cast of 10 teams vying for the title as the defending champion, while those who look to dethrone them are host Mobil Oil Marianas, Commonwealth Ports Authority, Aqua Resort Club, Hyatt Regency Saipan, McDonald’s, Commonwealth Utilities Corp., Microl-Toyota, the CNMI Women’s National Team, and newcomer Saipan Ice, which replaces Pacific Development Inc.

As in the past, all teams must have at least two female players. At least one female player must be on the court at all times during the first and third quarters, and male players will be whistled for technical fouls if they defend a female cager, except when the team plays the Women’s Nationals.

Venus also disclosed that the top six teams will advance to a single-elimination playoffs, with the top two getting first round byes.

Awards include champion, pennant champion, regular season and playoffs most valuable players, first, second, and third runners up, Mythical Five, female MVP, and sportsmanship.

Last year, Dai-Ichi won the championship against host Mobil, 130-114. Empty-handed in its first three years in the league (it didn’t suit up in the league’s inaugural season), Dai-Ichi benefited with its merging with sister team Tan Holding Corp. and fielded a powerful lineup led by 2005 MVP Elmer Esdrelon and a Japanese import in the person of cage belle Noe Okahira.

The Mobil crown was previously worn by THC (2001), Microl (2002), PDI (2003), and Aqua Resort Club (2004).

For more information on the 2006 Mobil Oil Marianas Invitational Co-ed Basketball League, contact Venus at 287-5911.