Mobil co-ed caging sets Jan. 11 start

The 2005 Mobil Oil Marianas Invitational Co-ed Basketball League will kick off tentatively on Jan. 11, 5pm at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

Board members and representatives of the 10 teams making up the league met last Friday at the Costa Terrace Restaurant of Aqua Resort Club and hammered out the details of the upcoming fifth season of the only co-ed inter-company league in the Commonwealth.

The meeting set a few ground rules, namely the limiting of team rosters to 15 players with two female players each, top six after the eliminations get to advance to the playoffs, and teams ranked 1st and 2nd after the first round getting a bye to the next round.

The board is also deliberating whether to extend an invitation to the CNMI Women’s National Team to participate in the competition.

The Mobil league feels that the inclusion of coach Donald Blondin’s squad would give added spice to the competition as well as help them prepare for the South Pacific Mini Games set for July and August next year.

Another plan is for teams to adopt players from the women’s national team with last year’s last-place team getting the first crack at the No. 1 pick in a draft.

The Mobil co-ed basketball league is comprised of 2004 champion Aqua Resort Club, Pacific Development, Inc., Microl-Toyota, Tan Holdings Corp., Dai-Ichi Hotel Saipan Beach, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Commonwealth Utilities Corp, Pacific Island Aviation, Commonwealth Ports Authority, and host Mobil Oil Marianas.

The meeting last Friday was attended by Mike Muna (CPA and Basketball Association of the Northern Mariana Island president), Abner Venus (Microl), Ambeth Flores (THC), Manny Barcial (Aqua Resort), Mario Espeleta (PDI), Tom Alegre (Dai-Ichi), Robert Tamondong (PIA), and Jojo Dadivas (Mobil). CUC and Hyatt were not able to send representative for the meeting.

This year, Aqua Resort emerged champion of the Mobil league after defeating host Mobil in a winner-take-all finals match, 103-93, last May 23 at the Ada Gym. The win snapped a 13-year title draught for the Achague-based hotel. The Mobil crown was previously worn by THC (2001), Microl (2002), and PDI (2003).

For more information on the 2005 Mobil Oil Marianas Invitational Co-ed Basketball League, please call Venus at 287-5911 or Dadivas at 483-3363.