Financial woes postpone MBT

The 20-and-under Micronesian Basketball Tournament has been postponed and will likely be put on hold until after the 2006 Micronesian Games.

The MBT was originally scheduled for last November on Saipan, however, it was pushed back and was scheduled for this month due to lack of feedback from participating delegations. It features competition for both men and women.

According to Basketball Association of the Northern Mariana Islands vice president Elias Rangamar, he has already received responses from seven of the nine delegations, and only one is ready for the tournament.

Rangamar said aside from Guam, all other delegations are having trouble securing funding for their travel and participation costs. Other teams contacted for the tournament include Yap, Marshall Islands, Palau, Kiribati, Nauru, Kosrae, Chuuk, and Pohnpei. Two teams will represent Saipan in the tournament—the Junior Nationals and Rotary All-Stars.

“We’re all going through tough times financially and the other countries are having a hard time with that,” Rangamar said. “Guam was the only one that was ready to come here, so they’re kind a disappointed.”

Rangamar added that he has yet to receive word from Marshall Islands and Yap.

With that, the BANMI official said it is not likely that things will change in the next week, which forced organizers to postpone the competition.

He, however, said that because basketball federations from all over the region will be on island for the Micronesian Games in June, a meeting will be held to discuss the tournament.

“They’re all going to be here for the Micro Games, so we’ll meet and discuss if we want to shoot for another date,” Rangamar said.

The Junior Nationals and Rotary All-Stars have been training in anticipation of the tournament, and played an exhibition bout last Thursday at the Northern Marianas College, with the Junior Nationals edging their opponents, 75-72.

The fight was tight throughout the bout as both teams kept pace with each other.

In the end, Jeremy Winkfield came up with a clutch jumper that enabled the Junior Nationals to take the win.

Winkfield, who is coming off an injury from the BANMI Men’s 25-and-under Basketball League last June, led his team with 15 points, while Tyrone Palacios added 13 points. Guard Justin Fejeran and center Mel Manibusan also contributed 10 points apiece.

Dan Barcinas and Jack Lizama, who teamed with Winkfield in the 25-and-under league, led the Rotary All-Stars with 24 and 11 points.

Junior Nationals 75—Winkfield 15, T. Palacios 13, Fejeran 10, Manibusan 10, Kim 9, Yu 9, Dela Cruz 3, A. Palacios 2, Babauta 1.

Rotary All-Stars 72—Barcinas 24, Lizama 11, Tumaquip 8, Iguel 8, Moses 6, Teregeyo 5, Ada 2, Chariton 2, Diaz 2, Tarkong 2.

Scoring by quarters: 30-31, 35-43, 57-59, 75-72.