BANMI eyes 2005 for 25-and-under

Basketball Association of the Northern Marianas Islands will likely kick of its 25-and-under Basketball Tournament early next year.

This was decided during the sports body’s regular monthly meeting Tuesday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

BANMI president Mike Muna said the coming holiday season and the continued difficulty teams are experiencing putting up the entry fee has forced them to push the opening of the league to January 2005.

“Interested teams are having trouble putting up the entry fee, especially now since the association is strictly adhering to its ‘no pay, no play’ rule,” he said. “We are also well into December and starting the league this late is not good.”

Registration fee for the 25-and-under league is $900 for teams who wish to have uniforms supplied by the league or $600 for teams who already have their own uniforms.

Before the implementation of BANMI’s “No pay, no play” policy, 14 teams have shown interest in competing in the 2004 season, according to board member and league coordinator Abner Venus.

The list includes defending champion Northern Marianas College Proa, last year’s runner up Ghasias Brothers, Ol’Aces, San Antonio Sixers, Hoopholics, San Vicente Sunrisers, Cougars, Tinian, Mobil, Toyota, 69ers, Garapan Rollers I and II, and a team made up of players from the UFO-San Miguel Cup.

Of the teams, Venus reported that only Hoopholics and Ghasias Brothers have already paid the entry fee.

Venus said league registration is still open and aside from the entry fee, teams are also required to submit necessary documents for age verification and accomplished waiver forms.

Players eligible to see action in the league are those whose 26th birthday does not predate the opening of the season.

For more information about the 25-and-under league, please call Muna at 664-3582, or league coordinators Venus at 287-5911 and Rangamar at 664-2503.

Last year, Proa hoisted the championship of the 25-and-under tournament after it waylaid Ghasias Brothers, 106-91, in the title tiff.

Verizon also won that season’s pennant championship and was coached by then CNMI national basketball team coach Rufino Aguon. Its players included Jester Garcia, Dave Palacios, Boaz Etpison, Ambrose Ogumoro, Jeremy Sablan, Ponce Rasa, J.C. Kim, Oscar Ada, and Mel Manibusan.