Rollers coach recalls epic win

Rollers coach Joe Diaz, standing fourth left, poses with his players after ruling one of the competitions in the Rotary caging at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium in 2006. Majority of Diaz’s players were part of the Rollers’ U14 team that pulled off a come-from-behind win in the finals of the 2004 Inter-Village Youth Basketball League. (Contributed Photo)

Through the years, Rollers Basketball Club had its share of moments in the CNMI’s basketball scene, but the one that topped coach Joe Diaz’s list was their 2004 title win in the Inter-Village Youth Basketball League at the Marianas High School Gymnasium.

“It was against the Afetnas 69ers—a team with so much firepower,” Diaz said.

According to Diaz, their team, which was then known as the G-Rollers, faced the Preston Basa-anchored 69ers, while mobile big man Bill Babauta, J.R. Ngeskebei, and Jack Sanchez were also on the opposing squad.

The 69ers, who were coached by Ray Duenas, went up by 10 points in the last five minutes of the winner-take-all finale, but the G-Rollers refused to throw-in the towel and came back to steal the championship.

A jumper from Jomar Tumaquip tied the match at 58-all, with less than a minute left in the game, while eventual Finals MVP Vince Teregeyo delivered the dagger for the G-Rollers. The lanky forward stole possession from the 69ers and went straight to the basket for the go-ahead, 60-58. The Rollers hung tough on defense in the closing seconds of the thrilling title match to avoid a monumental collapse in the season where the team went undefeated (11 games) in the elimination.

“We came into to the finals unbeaten. Then all of a sudden we were down by 10 points halfway through the fourth quarter,” said Diaz, who had Jose Tumaquip as his trusted lieutenant.

“We called a timeout and told the boys that it’s not right to go down like this with all the hard work we put in from Day 1 of the season,” the long-time coach added.

When the game resumed, a determined G-Rollers crew showed up, wanting to turn things over and prove something to their coach.

“It was a pretty even match and it took hard work and mental toughness in the end to take that great win,” Diaz said.

The come-from-behind championship victory was also a good send-off for Vince Teregeyo and several other G-Rollers players, as the following year, they moved up to the Rotary youth caging (U18 division). Joining Teregeyo and Tumaquip on the champion squad were regular season MVP Robert Naraja, Allan Moses, Joe Pangelinan, Gary Philip, James Sablan, Keone Chariton, John Aldan, Jose Castro, Steve Tellei, Kevin Aldan, and Don Teregeyo.

Diaz acknowledged that Vince Teregeyo may have scored the biggest basket in the Rollers’ perfect season, but every one chipped in to make things happen for the team.

“That year, there was no ‘I’ on the team. Everyone was doing their share,” said Diaz, who also recognized the hard work put in by the G-Rollers manager and her wife, Verna.

“She was the backbone of the team during that season, doing all the extra things to make sure the players are taken cared of during practice and matches.”