By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

SAIPAN teams took the championship trophies in the four division contests in the 2007 Crime-Free Youth Goodwill Basketball Tournament on Tinian.
The Garapan Rollers topped the girls’ 17-and-under and boys’ 15-and-under age groups, while the Kagman Xplosives and the G-Stars won the co-ed 12-and-under and boys’ 19-and-under divisions.
The tournament was held at the Tinian Gym from Thursday to Sunday with more than 30 teams from Saipan and Tinian participating in the four-day event.
The G-Rollers girls’ 17-and-under team won in the finals over the Tinian Hoop Stars, while the Kagman Xplosives placed third.
Organizers have yet to release the official scores of the matches.
In the boys’ 15-and-under, the G-Rollers prevailed over the Sixers 1, while the Tinian Typhoons grabbed the third place trophy.
The G-Stars claimed the boys’ 19-and-under division crown winning over the Garapan Rollers. The Tinian Cyclones finished third.
In the co-ed 12-and-under division, the Kagman Xplosives defeated the Tinian Hoop Stars in the finals, while the G-Rollers placed third.
The top three finishers in each division received trophies, while individual awards were also given to the top performers in the tournament.
According to DCCA’s Coreen Santos, one of the organizers of the youth caging, this year’s turnout was bigger than last year’s.
“It was a successful tournament with a lot of teams from Saipan coming over. We’re hoping to have another big turnout next year, as a lot of kids are excited about playing in the tournament. The parents are also enthusiastic seeing their kids play against kids from other islands,” Santos said.
Last year, aside from Tinian teams, only Saipan’s G-Rollers and the Sparks played in the goodwill meet.
“Parents are encouraged to bring their kids to the tournament because they can be certain that the tournament is one where kids develop not only their basketball skills, but also their character,” she added.
Organizers of the annual caging thanked Mayor Jose P. San Nicolas, Senators Henry San Nicolas and Jude Hofschneider Senate President Joseph Mendiola and the Municipal Council of Tinian for supporting the tournament.