By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

FOURTEEN Saipan teams will be going to Tinian the last week of this month to compete in the 2007 Crime-Free Youth Goodwill Basketball Tournament.
According to Garapan Rollers coach Joe Diaz, he will field six teams in the Tinian caging, which will run from March 28 to 31 at the Tinian Gym.
The G-Rollers will have two teams in the boys’ 19-and-under division, two in the 15-and-under and one each in the girls’ 17-and-under and in the 12-and-under.
Joining the G-Rollers on Tinian are coaches George Cruz and Mike Olaitiman.
Diaz added that he learned Kagman will have at least four squads, while four other Saipan-based teams have expressed an interest in joining the annual event.
Diaz also said that tournament organizers are waiting for confirmation from Rota teams.
“This tournament is a good for CNMI basketball. The three islands are helping each other in promoting and developing youth basketball,” Diaz said.
“This will also give our kids an opportunity to compete against teams they never played against before,” he added.
This will be the second time that the G-Rollers will be competing in the goodwill tournament. Last year, they also participated in the Tinian caging along with the Matansa Sparks.
The G-Rollers mentor said that they will use the Tinian tournament to prepare for the Northern Youth Basketball Association 16-and-under League.
The NYBA 16-and-under caging was supposed to open this Saturday, but organizers moved the kick off to April 7 to give teams more time to prepare.
Diaz is reminding the participating squads that they have until tomorrow to pay the entrance fee.
For more information on the NYBA caging, contact Diaz at 233-4646.