Mobil to strictly enforce ‘employee’s only’ rule

Saying that it is going back to its roots, the 2006 Mobil Oil Marianas Co-ed Invitational Basketball League announced yesterday that it would strictly enforce its “employees only” rule this year.

Commissioner Abner Venus said except for women players, he would be requiring all nine teams to submit their player rosters complete with either pay stubs or any other documents proving their employment with the company they’re playing for.

Originally only employees of companies participating in the league were allowed to suit up for their teams, but gradually Mobil made exemptions to make the games more competitive.

Venus said the six-year-old league has reached a point where he believes it is already mature enough to return to its “employees only” rule.

He, however, said because of the dearth of women players in participating companies, Mobil is waving the rule for cage belles and said teams are welcome to recruit women players from outside their companies.

Venus, who just came back from a recent vacation in the Philippines, said he is eyeing a March 21 start for the league. He said uniforms for all nines teams are just about ready and that all he needs to do now is to talk to officials of the Division of Sports and Recreation about the availability of the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The Mobil cage league commissioner said he is penciling Tuesday and Thursday once again as its play dates. First game would start at 7pm with the second immediately following at around 8:30pm.

The Mobil co-ed basketball league was formed in 2001 to give the giant oil company a venue to fellowship with its client companies. Since its inaugural season, the cagefest has grown in popularity and has attracted a following made up mostly of employees and staff of teams participating in league.

It has even survived the demise of league pioneer team Pacific Development Inc. (the 2003 champion) and that year’s second runner-up Pacific Island Aviation.

Last year, Dai-Ichi Hotel Saipan Beach (Now Fiesta Resort and Spa) won the championship against host Mobil, 130-114. Empty-handed in its first three years in the league (it didn’t suit up in the league’s inaugural season), Dai-Ichi benefited with its merging with sister team Tan Holding Corp. and fielded a powerful lineup led by 2005 MVP Elmer Esdrelon and a Japanese import in the person of cage belle Noe Okahira.

The Mobil crown was previously worn by Tan Holdings (2001), Microl (2002), PDI (2003), and Aqua Resort Club (2004).

Aside from Fiesta Resort and Spa, host Mobil, Microl, and Aqua Resort, this year’s competition would also include Hyatt Regency Saipan, Commonwealth Utilities Corp., Commonwealth Ports Authority, McDonald’s, newcomer Saipan Ice & Water Co., and guest team, CNMI Women’s National Team under head coach Elias Rangamar.

For more information on the 2006 Mobil Oil Marianas Invitational Co-ed Basketball League, contact Venus at 788-2917.