BANMI President Elias Rangamar brought this up in a meeting with coaches on Tuesday, saying they have to come up with something NMI youths will look forward every year.
The Marianas Invitational Basketball Tournament is the region’s oldest annual basketball league.
In 2004, the MIBT was cut short when the teams from Guam and Palau did not participate due to financial difficulties, leaving only the teams from Saipan, Tinian and Rota moving ahead with the league.
Citing the excitement of everybody involved in other annual sports leagues like the Saipan Little League, Rangamar said basketball in the CNMI has to be a continuous sport event.
And with the MIBT, smaller basketball leagues on the island can always have something more challenging to look forward.
As the BANMI keeps its commitment to promote basketball in all ages, it wants to go on with international competitions.
The BANMI is now in the process of selecting teams of youth boys and girls, 19 years old under for the Oceania Youth Tournament the will be held in Guam from Sept. 28 to Oct. 4.
The NMI already has a considerable number of players for men and women, attending the try out that started since last month. Only 10 players will be drafted to each team.
The selection process for the men’s team is now in the last few days of tryout at the Northern Marianas College and the coaching team is ready to select the players any time this week.
The female cagers who started the tryout two weeks ago will continue the training as the BANMI came up with an idea of having a basketball program for women.
