By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

A basketball referees association has been formed in the NMI with former Men’s National Team coach Rufino Aguon leading the newly organized body.
Aguon said the group of referees and basketball officials will be called the BANMI Referees Association with referee Arnold Mesa as vice chair; Abner Venus, secretary; and Michael A. White, as treasurer and rules interpreter.
In an email to the Variety, Aguon said the officers were elected during their second meeting on April 17 at the NMC Gym.
Aguon said they first met on April 12 with 11 individuals showing up, 10 of them are BANMI/FIBA certified referees.
“The turnout was quite good. The first meeting was just to inform everyone of the intent of the meeting and to explain why an association was being formed,” Aguon said.
The group met anew on April 17 and discussed and approved the association’s bylaws. Two more individuals attended the second meeting.
“Now our next step is to have our adopted by-laws approved by BANMI at its next meeting on April 28. We see no problems in terms of this being approved. We have also scheduled a refresher clinic for all the members on the 29th at 9 a.m. here at NMC gym. Once this is done, we will be ready to take over all BANMI-affiliated leagues,” Aguon said.
Aguon said only members of the new group will be allowed to officiate at games in BANMI-sanctioned tournaments.
BANMI is supervising games in the Rotary league, 25-and-under and Masters tournament, among others.
“If you are currently certified but choose not to be part of this association, then you will be decertified. You can choose to join later but will need to go through the certification process all over again. BANMI holds the right of all certification and has delegated this to the association,” Aguon said.
Aguon is calling on other certified referees who have yet to join the group to attend the next meeting on April 29.
“There is still time for currently certified referees to join us. If they missed the first two sessions, they can still join the 29th session and be grand- fathered in. We encouraged everyone to join the association. This will give us a strong voice and allow us to do our part in the development of basketball in the CNMI,” Aguon said.