First tryout session for Rotary All-Stars tomorrow

The 65 players who were extended invitations to try out for the Saipan Rotary All-Star team that will compete in the upcoming Micronesian Basketball Tournament will make their first push in hopes of securing one of the 12 available slots tomorrow.

This according to Basketball Association of the Northern Mariana Islands official Elias Rangamar, who said yesterday that the players will have their first tryout session at 5pm at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

“From there, we will disclose schedule of the tryouts,” Rangamar said, noting that he wanted to get the tryouts started this week. “Next week will be late already.”

Rangamar earlier said that the tryouts for players in the 2005 Saipan Rotary Club Summer Youth Basketball League would possibly be held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, however, he said yesterday that Saturday’s session might be postponed due to the championship round of the Back 2 School Street Basketball Jam, which occurs on the same day.

Among the names headlining the group invited to try out for the team include league leading scorer Rowell Aranda of the Southern Sonics, second-leading scorer Luis Reyes of the Chalan Kanoa Saints, Pete Iguel of the Garapan Rollers I, Mario Patrinus of the Matansa Sparks, Jeff Deleon Guerrero and Aitao Barcinas from the Toyota Camry, Kevin Cequena and Manuel Ajoste of the San Antonio Sixers I, and Josh Sablan of San Antonio.

Also getting invites were Jack Diaz, Emoah Iguel, Juan Iguel, Jonathan Salas, and Jo-Jo Ulloa of the Sparks; Josh Moses, Champ Untalan, M.J. Jung, small but terrible Kyle Concepcion, and Damien Deleon Guerrero of the G-Rollers III; Joemar Tumaquip, Vince Teregeyo, John Aldan, Robert Naraja, Jerico Cruz, Kevin Aldan, Ivan Devero, and Seth Hocking of the G-Rollers I; and Allen Moses, Don Teregeyo, Rick Basilla, Nate Mateo, and Dan Mateo of the G-Rollers II.

Also getting nods were Foster Dela Cruz, Won Joo Jung, Alexio King, Lloyd Mendoza, Denard Mendiola, and Angel Palacios of Hoops; Jack Lizama, James Kintz, Lester Babauta, and Mike Eclevia of the Sonics; Robert Palacios, Tyrone Palacios, and Bill Babauta of San Antonio; Derrick Rangamar, Syl Tellei, Jess Villanueva, and Trevor Ogumoro of Capitol Hill Breeze; George Iglecias, Baron Iglecias, Jason Lizama, and Jose Magday of the Saints; and Mark Dela Cruz, Nathan Flores, Lawrence Echon, and Aemir Villegas of the San Antonio Sixers II.

Maverick Itibus, Michael Babauta, Jeff Pagarao, Steven Kim, Javon Tarkong, John Santos, and Kovin Ogumoro of Toyota are also invited to the tryouts, as well as Christian Dela Cruz of the Sixers I.

The team will be coached by Joe Diaz, who coaches the three G-Rollers teams as well as the Breeze. He will be assisted by Sonics coach Jesse Tudela and Sparks coach George Cruz.

The tournament, which will be hosted by Saipan from Nov. 20 to 26, will feature men’s and women’s teams from Guam, Saipan, Palau, Chuuk, Pohnpei, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, and Kosrae. Players competing in the tournament must be under the age of 21 years.

The CNMI Junior National team, coached by longtime bench tactician Rufino Aguon, will also compete in the tournament and will feature players not suiting up in the Rotary league. Rota and Tinian are also invited to form teams for the competition.