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Micro cage tryouts start Jan. 10
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Posted on Jan 03 2006
Coach Rufino Aguon is inviting all eligible basketball players on island for the tryouts for the CNMI Men’s National Basketball Team on Jan. 10, Tuesday, at the Northern Marianas College Gymnasium.
Aguon, who coached the 2002 Micronesian men’s basketball team in Pohnpei, said the tryouts with start on the dot at 6:30pm.
All those attending the tryout must be in complete basketball uniform—basketball jerseys and shorts and basketball shoes—according to Aguon.
The former president of the Basketball Association of the Northern Mariana Islands said he hopes to select the 15 players (12 regular and three alternates, that would be named by May) who would then become part of the national quintet by the end of January.
He earlier said that training for the Micro Games would start in early February with twice-a-week strength, plyometric, and conditioning exercises. It would then increase to thrice-a-week sessions with more concentration on conditioning in March.
Aguon said by April, the schedule would be four times a week with more on-court team plays—both on offense and defense—and more intensity on conditioning. In May, training for the national team will be up to five days a week, and Aguon hopes they we could also scrimmage with other competitive teams.
Interested players must pass three eligibility requirements put up by BANMI, which is a player must have played in a BANMI-sanctioned league; must have lived continuously in the CNMI for seven years if not of CNMI decent; and if of Micronesian decent, must have lived in the CNMI for three straights years.
Personally, Aguon said he would be looking at four things from players during the tryouts—attitude, physical fitness, skills, and knowledge of the rules.
He added that if all the above are equal between two or more players, then height will be the determining factor for the selection of national basketball players. (Mark Rabago)
