Sports take backseat as recovery efforts from typhoon continue

With Saipan still reeling from Typhoon Soudelor’s wrath and recovery efforts in full gear, sports events on the island have taken a backseat.

Tan Holdings leaned on two late triples from guard Paul Quizon to quell Marianas Resort & Spa’s late rally, 76-67, in the second game of the 2015 JP World Corp. Customer Appreciation Basketball League last Friday at the Gillette Multi-Purpose Gymnasium in Gualo Rai. Like other local sporting events, the Mobil caging has been postponed until further notice because of Typhoon Soudelor.

The Northern Marianas Sports Association has also postponed its scheduled monthly meeting set for today at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium conference room.

In an email yesterday to sports association heads, NMSA president Michael A. White said the monthly meeting has been postponed so everyone can focus in picking up the pieces from the typhoon.

“Friends, for obvious reasons, there will be no monthly general membership meeting this month (tomorrow). NMSA hopes that the storm did not cause you too much damage or inconvenience, and wishes you (and all of us) a full and speedy recovery,” White said.

Aside from the NMSA meeting postponement, the sounds of basketball shoes squeaking on either indoor or outdoor basketball courts all over the island were silent these past few days as several leagues cancelled their scheduled games.

The 2015 JP World Corp. Customer Appreciation Basketball League has been postponed for the meantime, according to coordinator Marlon Sison.

Sison said he would reschedule the postponed games once everyone has recovered from last weekend’s disaster. He said he himself was a victim of Soudelor’s punishing winds as his house was destroyed.

The Mobil caging had its last playdate before the tropical storm hit last Friday with powerhouses MBI/KFC and Tan Holdings downing separate rivals.

MBI/KFC beat Docomo black and blue, 86-54, in the first game; while Tan Holdings leaned on two late triples from guard Paul Quizon to quell Marianas Resort & Spa’s late rally, 76-67, in the second.

The league’s venue, the Gillette Multi-Purpose Gymnasium in Gualo Rai, also incurred some damage from the typhoon and could be closed indefinitely for repairs and cleanup.

Two leagues that opened the day before the 105mph typhoon made landfall in Laulau Bay also opted to put off the restart of their competition.

DLX Saipan Stevedore Invitational Basketball League at the Gualo Rai Basketball Court and the Blue Haus/IT&E Inter-Color Basketball League at the Navy Hill Basketball Court both kicked off with much fanfare last Saturday.

The opening ceremony for the former, for instance, had teams wearing colorful uniforms and had them parade with their beautiful muses.

The two leagues, however, were forced to cut their opening games short as Soudelor’s initial gusts made the courts unplayable.

Jojo Garon, coordinator for the Gualo Rai league, said he is postponing the competition to perhaps next week so players could first look after their families’ welfare in the aftermath of the typhoon.

He added that even if he and the players want to suit up, Soudelor pretty much trashed the Gualo Rai court, including the lights that are essential for the DLX Saipan Stevedore caging’s night games.

The Blue Haus/IT&E caging has no night games but it will be awhile before its restart as trees and other debris now occupy the Navy Hill court.

Like Sison and Garon, organizer Sam Fernandez said it would be unwise to not postpone the league, as recovery efforts from Souledor should be prioritized first.

Eight teams are entered in the DLX Saipan Stevedore caging, while Blue Haus/IT&E competition list interesting team names like Edi Won!, Hard Kulangot, Makalaro Lang, Red Rice, Navy Hill Kidlat, Purple Rain, and Passion De Amor.