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Tough opening assignment for NMI cagebelles
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Posted on Aug 12 2008
The CNMI women’s 19- under team will be facing a tough test when it debuts against Australia in the 2008 FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament in Guam next month.
Australia is the defending champion in the women’s division of the youth caging, winning the 2006 edition of the biennial tournament after beating New Zealand in the knockout finals, 56-47.
“Our girls will be meeting Australia in their first game and it will be a very tough assignment, especially for a young team like us,” coach Elias Rangamar said in an interview yesterday after the squad’s training session at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.
The NMI team will be playing in the Oceania caging set to run from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4 without key players Chelsea Ruluked and Elena Santos.
Ruluked, who was named MVP in the high school league here and Santos, who hails from Tinian, are now based in Oregon to continue their secondary education.
“They could not join us because of school commitments. They are a big loss to the team, but I am hoping that the three girls who played in the 2006 Micronesian Games will step up and give us good games,” Rangamar said.
Liamwar Rangamar, Noelle Calvo, and Nicolle Lebria are the new go-to-gals of the team with the absence of Ruluked and Santos.
Liamwar played for Grace Christian Academy in the private school league before and was a member of the All-Conference Team, while Calvo and Lebria are both with the Mt. Carmel School women’s varsity squad. They also played in various local tournaments last year.
Rangamar is also hoping to get contributions from Dione Diaz, who played for the Kagman Lady Ayuyus last year. Other members of the team are Jacque Wonenberg and twin sisters Yvonne and Yvette Bennett.
Rangamar is expected to name the 10-player roster on Monday.
Australia had already selected its representative to the Oceania caging three months ago. The team is composed of Rebecca Allen, Allyson Brown, Alexandra Bunton, Rebecca Cole, Madeleine Garrick, Kerryn Harrington, Jillian Haughton, Ashleigh Karaitiana, Georgia Minear, and Gretel Tippett. Nicole Ireland will coach the Opals.
Players were selected based from their performance in the Australian U16. [B][I](Roselyn B. Monroyo)[/I][/B]
