Rotary caging opening moved to Aug. 12

The starting date for the 19th Annual Rotary Club of Saipan Youth Basketball League has been reset to Aug. 12.

The 10-team U19 division will kick off the CNMI’s premier youth basketball league next week at the TSL Sports Complex. The list includes the defending champions Ol’Aces, runners-up Sonics, Proa, Rollers, the Chalan Kanoa Blazers, the San Antonio Sixers, Susupe Hi-5, and teams from Tanapag, Kagman, and Tinian.

The Rotary youth caging was originally scheduled to open this Friday, but organizers held off for a week to help teams acquire uniforms and submit the required paper work and entrance fees. Besides the U19 division, the league will also feature players in the U15 and U12 divisions, but kick-off dates have yet to be decided.

“We’ve learned in the past that things run much smoother when we collect all the funds to run the league up front. With that said, the U19 boys are ready now and that’s good, but we need to give the two other divisions time to finalize their rosters,” said Elias Rangamar, vice president of the organizing Basketball Association of Northern Mariana Islands.

With the U19 division all set, Rangamar said he is shooting to hold at least two games in the opener. Then once the other divisions’ commence, a single U19 game will be played starting at either 4:45pm or 6:15pm on weekdays. Official schedules have yet to be released.

Right now, six teams are confirmed for the U15 division and the list includes the Sixers, four Rollers Basketball Club squads, and two girls teams. This will be the first time the Rotary league has allowed girls teams to play against boys.

The U12 division currently has four Rollers teams and slots are still available in both divisions.

As for Tinian, it has agreed to host teams once a month during the season, but Saipan squads should cover their own travel expenses. Tinian coach Keith Nabors is expected to attend next week’s meeting to finalize arrangements for the competition.

This year’s Rotary caging will have Abner Venus as league commissioner and Rex Yabut as chair for the table officials.

Meanwhile, league organizers are holding the coaches and managers meeting for all divisions on Aug. 10 at 6pm at the Community Development Center in Garapan. All registration and waiver forms and entrance fees are due by the end of the meeting.