Rotary pushes back kick off

The start of the 2004 season of the Rotary Club of Saipan Summer Youth Basketball League has once again been pushed back for a week.

Instead of the kick off tonight, the 18-and-under caging event would start next Monday, June 28, to enable the coaches of participating teams to attend a coaching seminar to be conducted by FIBA Oceania official Stewart Manwaring.

League coordinator and Level II coach Elias Rangamar said the coaching seminar would be held this Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5pm to 7pm and the whole afternoon of Saturday at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium conference room.

Rangamar reminded teams that Rotary’s “no clinic, no coaching” rule still stands, which means that the league will not allow coaches who didn’t attend the seminar to mentor their teams this season.

As of the moment, 10 teams have signed up for this year’s Rotary competition led by defending champion Ol’Aces. The other nine teams are composed of Heat, Sixers I, Sixers II, Matansa Sparks, CK Saints, G-Rollers I, G-Rollers II, G-Rollers III, and the Women’s Jr. National Team.

The latter is a guest team that will be coached by Don Blundin. Blundin said his team would use the Rotary as a tune up for its participation in the Marianas Basketball Tournament in Guam early next month.

Rangamar said five other teams are on the outside looking in after their representatives failed to attend a mandatory meeting last week. He said the representatives of 69ers I and II, Koblerville, Tanapag Warriors, and Susupe Hoopers should contact him at the soonest time possible to update him about the levels of their interest in joining the league.

For more information on the upcoming 2004 Rotary Club of Saipan Summer Youth Basketball League and requisite coaching clinic administered by Manwaring, please call Elias Rangamar at 664-2503 or 664-2508.

Ol’Aces won the Rotary championship last Nov. 5, 2003, when the pair of Dan Barcinas and Dexter Dillay led the team in vanquishing San Antonio Sixers I, 85-81.

The Verizon-sponsored team actually won all 14 games last year behind a solid bunch of veterans and rookies. Up-and-coming coach Lawrence Rosario mentored the team, while ex-Ol’Aces big man Ambrose Ogumoro served as his assistant coach. Ogumoro is said to have succeeded Rosario as coach this year.