FIBA: Saipan expected to keep Oceania caging hosting rights

The Commonwealth’s hosting of the 2009 Oceania Tournament is still on after FIBA Oceania received an assurance that the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium will be repaired in time in for the June event.

“FIBA Oceania has held extensive discussion with BANMI president Elias Rangamar and received assurances that the necessary support has been received from government departments to effect the repairs to the gym, as requested by FIBA Oceania,” FIBA Oceania secretary general Steve Smith said in an email to Saipan Tribune.

“I will now follow up those assurances by seeking a timeline for the completion of these works and most likely will program an inspection visit to Saipan in the months ahead of the tournament to assess the state of completion of the works,” he said

Smith added that BANMI has recently secured a significant local financial sponsor for this tournament. Basketball Association of Northern Mariana Islands secretary general Michael White declined to name the local sponsors, but said an announcement will be made at the appropriate time.

“These are all positive developments which encourages us to believe that a good result will be achieved in June,” Smith said.

The Ada Gym and the Marianas High School Gymnasium will be hosting games and practice sessions for the Oceania caging, but only the latter made the grade when FIBA Oceania inspected the facilities in October last year.

The MHS Gym will require only minor repairs, while the Ada Gym will need a major facelift to meet the standard for hosting such top-caliber tournament.

The CNMI’s hosting rights on the Oceania caging was put in danger after the Ada Gym received a failing grade during the inspection.

Smith in an earlier e-mail said that if BANMI does not come up with a program to address the problems on the facilities, chances are either Palau or Samoa will be named new host of the quadrennial event. Palau and Samoa were the two other FIBA Oceania members that made bids for hosting the Oceania tournament.

The Oceania caging will feature the powerhouse teams of New Zealand and Australia and it will be the biggest basketball tournament CNMI will be hosting. Guam and the CNMI are automatically given slots to the tournament, which will have both the men’s and women’s competitions, leaving only four slots to be contested by the 19 other members of FIBA Oceania.

Rangamar, in a separate interview with Saipan Tribune, said the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs assured BANMI that necessary support is available for the renovation of the Ada Gym.

“We are just waiting for an assurance letter from the governor and hopefully before the week ends we will get it and sent it to FIBA Oceania so we can start moving for this project,” Rangamar said.

The BANMI president added the cost for the major renovation is estimated at $36,000.

FIBA Oceania in its evaluation report on the Ada Gym noted the following equipment/areas that needed major repairs: Backboard, shot clock, scoreboard, bench, court, change room, ventilation, lighting, and rest room.

While BANMI is busy securing support for the tournament from both the public and private sectors, FIBA Oceania is also doing its job to assist the host federation in getting equipment for the Ada gym.

“FIBA Oceania on behalf of BANMI is negotiating with the FIBA Study Centre and the Study Centre Partners to supply upgrade backboards and shot clocks for the Ada Gym. These negotiations are in the advanced stage with a high probability of success,” Smith said.