By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

THE 2007 season of the MISA High School Basketball League kicks off today with Saipan Southern High School starting their title bid in the boys’ division against Mt. Carmel School.
The Manta Rays and the Knights collided at 7 p.m. after the Lady Rays and the Lady Knights match at 5 p.m.
League coordinator Joel Punzalan said that there would be a brief opening ceremony at 4:30 p.m. at the Marianas High School Gym.
Players and coaches from the participating schools will be introduced during the opening rites, according to Punzalan.
“After the brief opening, the players are ready to rumble. You can expect intense games every night, as all teams have been preparing hard for this year’s tournament,” said Punzalan, who will be coaching the Manta Rays and is hoping for back-to-back titles.
“It will be tough this year, as all teams are determined to dethrone us. But we’re ready,” Punzalan.
Southern will be having an early rematch with the Knights tonight. The Manta Rays won last year’s championship after beating Mt. Carmel in the winner-take-all finals, 85-77.
This year’s defending champion in the girls’ division will not be playing until Wednesday when the MHS Lady Dolphins square off with the Lady Rays.
The Lady Dolphins topped the Lady Rays in the finals, 47-32, to claim back-to-back championships. The MHS cagebelles will be gunning for a three-peat this season.
After today’s game, all matches in the MISA caging will start at 4:30 p.m.
Teams in the girls’ division will play first, while the boys’ matches will start at 6:30 p.m.
Kagman High School will be playing its debut game next Friday, Feb. 2 when it meets Saipan Southern.
The regular season will be a double round-robin format with all four teams advancing to the playoffs.
In the playoffs for both the boys and girls’ divisions, the No. 1 team faces the No. 4 squad for the first finals berth, while the No. 2 and No. 3 teams will contest the last finals ticket.