Nationals beef up roster for MBT

  Four new players have been added to the roster of the CNMI Nationals who will be competing in the 2012 Micronesian Basketball Tournament in Guam in July this year.

The additions include scoring machine Ivan Devero, 3-point shooter Joshua Sablan, former MISO player Aitao Barcinas, and former Junior Nationals’ Marvin Rabauliman. The rest of the CNMI Nationals are holdovers from the squad that represented the Commonwealth in the 2010 Micronesia Games in Palau.

“We have 14 players on the team at this time. Most of them are from the Micro Games roster and the guys that won the GBL. Tim Quan is back on island after finishing his graduate school and will be playing for the team again,” coach Rufino Aguon said.

Besides Quan, other returnees are Keoni Chariton, Quincy Johnson, Pete Iguel, Dan Barcinas, Jack Lizama, Peter Mendiola, and Joe Villacrusis.

“The final roster for the MBT will be determined by May or June leading into the games. But I do not see much changes since these guys have been playing and training together since we returned from the Micro Games,” Aguon added.

Jose Tumaquip, Jeremy Winkfield, and Jericho Cruz played in Palau, but are now off-island and will not make it to the Guam trip.

Rabauliman and Devero are expected to fill the void Cruz left on the CNMI’s offense. Both wingmen were one of the top scorers for the MHS Dolphins during their playing years in the MISO caging and are now competing and holding their own against much older and tougher open division players. The two new recruits even won individual awards in various local leagues.

Sablan, who took a brief break from competitive basketball, returned to action last year and played for Proa in the GBL. He is also seeing action in the DLX/Miller Lite caging and is among the Sunrisers’ top gunners. Aitao Barcinas also returned to active play last season and is a good addition to the CNMI’s backcourt.

Aguon’s wards are training twice a week at the Northern Marianas College Gymnasium and are suiting up for various teams in the Miller Lite caging. Aguon, who is assisted by Ed Manalili, Omar Ajoste, and Edsel Mendoza, said the team hopes to compete in one league before the MBT in Guam and the squad will also join the March Madness in Guam this month.

The Nationals will leave for Guam on March 15 and will be battling military teams from Japan, Korea, and Guam, and the hosts’ local and national squads.

“I can say that this team is much more mature and with more quality games under their belt is very positive. The team’s participation in the March Madness is part of our preparation,” Aguon said.

The CNMI finished last in the 2010 Micro Games and is hoping for early redemption in the MBT this season or two years before Pohpnei hosts the Games.