Aguon to stick with current 12

CNMI National Men’s Basketball coach Rufino Aguon will go to battle in the 6th Micronesian Games with the 12-man roster he currently has in the 2006 Budweiser Cup BANMI Island-wide Basketball League.

“The makeup of the team is just about settled. If changes are to be made, this will be done on June 22. Hopefully no one gets injured or cannot play for any other reason,” he said.

The former Continental Micronesia executive said playing in the Bud Cup has really been a blessing for the national team and it has helped them evolve from 12 players making up a team to a team made up of 12 players.

“The biggest improvement is them playing as a team and trusting each other. It has helped us by understanding each other, the roles we play [our strengths and weaknesses] and gelling as a unit. Compared to when we first started, this has definitely been the biggest improvement,” he said.

Aguon said he is also amazed on how quickly the players have set aside past rivalries and how they have sacrificed their game for the betterment of the whole team.

“This [playing in the national team as opposed to their village clubs] was drilled to them from the very start. Some had to change roles, adjust to new things but bottom line was we play for the CNMI and not the numbers on our backs,” he said

Last week, the men’s and women’s national basketball teams also got an added boost sitting in on the coaches clinic conducted by former NBA player David Wood and the rest of the University Nations delegation composed of former University of Nevada athletics director Dick Dankworth, former University of Nevada coach Mike Brown, and baseball veteran Dan Dix.

Aguon said the Wood clinic helped toughen the team mentally as well as stressed to the boys the importance of teamwork in achieving greatness.

The men’s national team head coach said they are still practicing at the Northern Marianas College Gymnasium, but will move to the Marianas High School Gymnasium on June 19, where they will train until the start of the Games on June 23.

Aguon thanked Well’s Fargo, Marianas Insurance, SaipanCell Communications, Betty Miller and her students at San Vicente Elementary School, and James Griffin for their monetary and in-kind contributions to the national team.

He also thanked the basketball-loving public as well as the rest of the Commonwealth for their support and asked them to come out and cheer for them during the Games.

“We want to thank them for their support and for them to come out during the games and cheer for their home team. These will really boost our morale and efforts,” he said.

The CNMI Men’s National Basketball Team is made up of guards Danandro Barcinas, John Sablan, Gus Palacios, and Mark Wallace, forwards Jeremy Sablan, Jeremy Winkfield, James Villacrusis, Freddy Pelisamen, James Lee, and centers Oscar Ada, Mel Manibusan, and Kelvin Fitial.