BANMI set to revive village youth caging

Discussions regarding the revival of the Island-wide Village Youth Basketball League have been ongoing to give 14-and-under players a venue to showcase their talents.

Basketball Association of Northern Mariana Islands president Elias Rangamar in a telephone interview said they are working with the Division of Sports and Recreation and coaches from various villages to bring IVYBL back.

The last IVYBL was held in 2006 with the G-Rollers I slipping past the San Antonio Sixers I in the finals, 42-40. Matt Duenas of the Sixers I was named regular season MVP, while Jericho Cruz, who is now among the top players of the CNMI Junior National Team, claimed the Finals MVP honors.

The youth league took a two-year absence giving way to the Northern Youth Basketball Association, which in 2007 held a 16-and-under league at the Garapan Basketball Court.

Last year, there was hardly a league for 16-and-under or 14-and-under players, and these youth cagers resorted to competing in short and occasional tournaments.

Some, including the Sonics, were forced to compete in the Rotary caging, which is a playground for 18-and-under players. The results were disastrous for younger and inexperience 14-and-under players, as they were outplayed by much older foes and were the first ones to get to the exit door in the annual league.

“The result was a mismatch. What could you expect from a 14-year-old and inexperienced player going up against an 18-year-old, whose level of play and skills is definitely on a higher level,” said Sonics coach Jesse Tudela, who is among the coaches batting for the revival of the 14-and-under league.”

“But we don’t have a choice, but to let them play in the Rotary because there’s no league for them. There are a lot of 14-and-under players joining our team, and we can’t just let them play among themselves. There has to be a competition somewhere,” Tudela said.

He added that the best venue to train youth cagers is through the 14-and-under caging.

“This is where you develop their skills and teach them the right attitude towards the game. Kids in the 10-and-under age group play just for the fun of playing, but in the 14 to 16 age group, it’s different. At this stage, playing competitive basketball comes into play,” Tudela said.

“Once their skills are developed, they are now ready to step up to the 18-and-under, and then slowly move up to the open league,” the Sonics coach added.

Meanwhile, Rangamar said they are hoping to hold separate tournaments in the IVYBL for teams in the northern and southern sides of the island.

Rangamar said this move is for cost- and time-saving measures.

“At the end of the regular season, the top teams in each division will play in the playoffs to determine the overall champion,” Rangamar said.