TABA thanks MARPAC for sponsorship

From left, referees Tristan Senter, Jimmy Rios, Christopher SN King, and Dawn Sarmiento during a break at officiating a recent game in the Island-wide Men’s Bud Light Basketball League. Not in photo is referee Bradyn Harvey. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

The Tinian Amateur Basketball Association extended its appreciation to Marianas Pacific Distributors Inc. for sponsoring this season’s Island-wide Men’s Bud Light Basketball League.

“I would love to give a big thank you so much to MARPAC for making this league possible. The sponsorship, the donations, and the full support for our league has been awesome,” said TABA president Christopher SN King.

He also apologized for the many delays the league had to endure due to onset of the COVID-19 pandemic on Tinian.

“I am so sorry for all the delays and setback games but we did it. Again, thank you Guy Pudney, Heather Popa, and the entire Marpac family for this Island-wide Men’s Bud Light Basketball League. Hope that you will sponsor another league again,” he said.

Pudney is the resident manager of MARPAC, while Popa is the company’s marketing coordinator.

Pudney said MARPAC is very pleased with how the Island-wide Men’s Bud Light Basketball League turned out.

“Christopher King and the whole Tinian Amateur Basketball Association did a fantastic job in running the league and overcoming all obstacles that stood in their way, such as this latest COVID-19 outbreak, to finally push through and complete the season. Great job by TABA and Tinian Amateur Sports Association,” he said.

He added that for an inaugural season, he feels like that the Island-wide Men’s Bud Light Basketball League acquitted itself well.

“We are glad to see Tinian being able to field eight teams to compete and hopefully next year they have a few more teams come out. A lot of great things to build off of for next year and hopefully they keep the momentum going,” said Pudney.

MARPAC also donated beverage prizes for the Top 3 teams. The six cases of Budweiser and Budweiser Light and four cases of Aloha will be distributed following the one-game finals between Team Kio and Team Rampage tonight at the Tinian Youth Center.

Meanwhile, King thanked U.S. Marines Tristan Senter, Jimmy Rios, and Bradyn Harvey for serving as referees this past season.

“They are leaving, too. We want to give thanks to Mr. Senter, Mr. Rios, and Mr. Harvey for helping us out with officiating the league.”

The TABA official said the three will be replaced in the championship game by Romy Libut, John Santos, and King himself with lead referee Dawn Sarmiento overseeing the entire officiating crew.