The playoff was originally set for last Monday but since everybody was expected to be busy for the election and the rest of the week for the Thanksgiving celebration, the Basketball Association of Northern Mariana Islands decided to re-schedule it for the end of the month.
With this, BANMI’s Gabriel White anticipates that the basketball community will be very busy next month.
There will be other annual basketball events that are held every December, and since the ongoing leagues are not yet done by this month as originally expected, BANMI and the participating teams would have to squeeze the time in December.
December, White added is the month to prepare for big events in January.
The Department of Community and Cultural Affairs that clinched the eighth slot against Bank of Guam last week will face pennant champion, Hyatt Regency Saipan in the opening game of the playoff.
Reacting to the statement of DCCA’s Ponce Rasa Jr., Hyatt playing coach, Ray Lizama said it is going to be a raging battle between the two teams.
Lizama admitted DCCA is a team they can not underestimate, but with the championship under their own belt for dominating on Tinian a few months ago, and their performance in this league’s regular season, Hyatt will still prevail towards the championship round.
“We have been and will still be taking one game at a time, and whatever comes out, I’m positive we will prevail,” Lizama said.
Wishing everybody luck, Lizama added it is not just about wits. He believes that which ever team has a better game plan will win the opening game.
He said it actually takes to know each other’s strength and weakness to be able to beat each other in the game.
