Women arrive after successful stint in MBT

The CNMI women’s team was greeted with a hero’s welcome Sunday night after arriving from Guam, where it bagged third place in the 2004 Micronesian Basketball Tournament.

Arriving 30 minutes delayed in the 5:30pm scheduled Freedom Air flight from Guam via Rota were six members of the team: Beverly Igitol, Connie Camacho, Vanessa Mobel, Chariss Ruluked, Dana Ngirchongor, and Vanessa Diaz.

The four other members of the team —Krista Cruz, Henny Elayda, Emily Oitreong, and Ladonna Castro—went home on an earlier flight along with head coach Donald Blondin.

Igitol said she is proud on what she and her teammates were able to accomplish despite all the odds but still felt the CNMI could’ve finished better.

“We were right there in our second game against Palau for the chance to play Guam for the gold. We were able to hang around and play them in almost equal footing. A made shot there and a defensive stop here could’ve made the difference,” she said.

Igitol was selected in the all-tournament team together with Kimberly Graham of Chuuk, Stephanie Ngirchoimei of Palau; Tania Olter of Pohnpei, and Michelle Presnell of host Guam. Incidentally, Presnell was also named MVP of the six-day, four-team competition.

Igitol shone in Guam despite not being in the best of shape following a death in her family that caused her two miss training and team practice weeks before the competition.

Veteran Vanessa Mobel echoed Igitol’s thoughts that the CNMI would’ve upset Palau if not for some breaks especially at the endgame.

“We played Palau the right way it’s just that we lost steam near the end. Two extra players would’ve really made a difference in our rotation,” she said.

Unlike other teams that saw action in the confab, the roster of Team CNMI was only 10-players strong after Blondin insisted that only players that show up regularly for practice would make the team.

However, the Marianas High School teacher said she gave Igitol an exception considering what the former Rotary cager went through.

Connie Camacho, for her part, said Team CNMI was impressive against Palau in their rematch. She said the team would surely give the Palau girls a run for their money the next time they meet.

“We could play with them definitely. Once we turned it on [man-to-man defense], they [Palau] had no answers for it. I really believe if we started to play defense from the opening tap to the final buzzer like we did, we could beat Palau and Guam if not in this tournament and then in the next,” she said.

On the other hand, Chariss Ruluked applauded her teammates and coach for a job well done in Guam.

“We played hard, scrapped for every possession of every game and played as a team the whole tournament. I’m really proud of my teammates and I would like to thank coach [Don] Blondin for his wisdom and patience,” she said.

The team’s imposing frontline of Dana Ngirchongor and Vanessa Diaz nodded in agreement while the rest of their teammates indicated that the team is far from peaking and good things are indeed coming for the CNMI women’s basketball team.

The women’s team was on the same flight back from Guam as the men’s team composed of playing-coach Elias Rangamar, brothers Peter and Abong Camacho, Gabriel White, Oscar Ada, Danny Barcinas, and Jeremy Winfield, and scout/assistant coach Greg Iginoef.

John Santos, Tony Diaz, Jester Garcia, Mark Wallace, and Ambrose Ogumoro and delegation referee Ricky Itaas chose to come back on an earlier flight.