Ballers get help from familiar friend

While the top youth dribblers and dunkers of the CNMI are preparing for the half-court action of this weekend’s 3-on-3 Street Jam, volunteers from a number of local organizations are pitching in to ensure that they will have better conditions than last year’s hoop-athon.

Thanks to the generosity of the United Filipino Organization, volunteers from the CNMI Power, SIP, Laguna, Cabalen, LIPS, and Jun Agda’s group are joining forces to help complete the Civic Center Restoration Project in time for the kids to rock the rims.

According to UFO president Roland Pamintuan, donations of materials and elbow grease will allow for the construction of concrete bleachers, the power washing of the outdoor basketball court, and the repainting of the lines for the Jam.

“We will be painting the baselines and the keys, as well as blasting and cleaning the court. Tomorrow we will be blasting the dirt off of the court for the painting, and the Saipan Mayor’s Office will be providing us the water that we need,” he said.

Pamintuan said that this is not the first time that the UFO has reached out to help the kids, and it won’t be the last either.

“We are active in the community services like the Civic Center Rehabilitation Project to prepare for the 3-on-3 Street Basketball Jam for the kids and players’ safety. Right now we are finished with the forms for the bleachers and they will be ready for concrete this week. We will not take out the supports from underneath until it is finished, but this is just so that the students and spectators have something to sit on,” he said.

Yesterday afternoon a crew from RP Construction started pouring the concrete to make sure that it would set in time for the big event, and soon will be providing the new chain link fencing to replace the damage portions of the surrounding structure.

Pamintuan is a huge basketball fan, and he said that only an injury which he suffered in motocross years ago keeps him off of the court. Fixing up the local facility not only gives him and the members of the non-profit group a chance to take the court, but also to give back to the community.

“We believe that good things come directly from the heart, and we want to express our gratitude toward the CNMI for providing jobs for these people and a better opportunity. These guys just want to do the best that they can. We might as well spend extra time to benefit the kids, the youth,” he said.

All of the members have real jobs aside from the hours spent fixing up local facilities, so the majority of the work will take place after they put in a full day at the office. While Pamintuan said that the best time to put in the time is on the weekends because they can go from dawn to dusk, time is of the essence as the Jam is only four days away.

The action continues this weekend as the Top 21 run and gun on Saturday, Sept. 24, at the newly revamped Civic Center Court. For more information about the finals, contact Carol Paez by calling 664-3806, or Roxanne Diaz at 236-8703.