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Masters cage league resume tonight
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Posted on Jun 30 2005
Action in the 2005 35-and-over and 45-and-over Masters Basketball League resumes tonight with two games at the Northern Marianas College Gymnasium.
The curtain raiser, scheduled to tip off at 6:30pm, pits Old Aces against Legends II in the 45-and-over league, while Old Aces takes on Sadunaaro at 8pm in the 35-and-over league.
Joining Old Aces and Legends II in the 45-and-over league are Pepsi and NMC, which will go head to head at 2:30pm tomorrow.
The 35-and-over league features four other teams, namely Pepsi, Natibu, Legends, and NMC.
Legends is scheduled to put their skills to the test against Sadunaaro at 1pm tomorrow, while Natibu and NMC close out the day with a battle at 4pm.
All games are played on Fridays and Saturdays, with two games on Fridays and three games on Saturdays.
Next Friday’s 35-and-over bout features Sadunaaro taking on NMC at 6:30pm while Pepsi battles Old Aces in the 45-and-over league at 8pm.
Legends II and NMC of the 45-and-over league open next Saturday’s competition at 1pm. Pepsi and Old Aces will square off at 2:30pm and Natibu tangos with Legends at 4pm in the 35-and-over league.
The 35-and-over league is running on a two-round format, meaning teams will face each other twice before a pennant champion is crowned. The first round concludes on July 29 before teams begin their push in the second round. The regular season is expected to conclude on Aug. 30.
Meanwhile, 45-and-over action features three rounds in the regular season, with teams facing each other thrice before playoff time. The league is tentatively scheduled to conclude on Aug. 23.
The league opened last June 21 with two games, the first featuring a special guest referee in the person of FIBA Oceania secretary general Steve Smith, who officiated the first three minutes of the game at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
Smith was originally invited to do the ceremonial first toss at the opening tip off, however, he went on to referee part of the opening quarter.
Smith spent two days—June 21 and 22—on island promoting the sport and meeting with basketball, government, and private sector officials.
