All nine teams were present on the court with the first season champions leading the way. The QQ League welcomed nine teams which included: Team Mobil –first season champions- team Blue Hauz, team Konflikt, team Sonics, team Rollers A and B, the Ferrera Builders, the Smart Cagers, and team Prospects.
The opening ceremony and welcoming remarks was given by Saipan Mayor Donald Flores. “As your mayor I humble to stand before you to celebrate this most anticipated special evening,” said Mayor Flores.
“Sports is vital in our community and most especially for our youth who we are role models to so they will continue to promote basketball today and in the future to come. Sports is one of the key elements in bringing our community together for basketball players to showcase their talents and skills,” added Flores.
Mayor Flores also said that sports development programs in the community was “one of his platforms which is an ambition to promote within our community.”
Flores ended his speech by proclaiming the league open ending his remarks with a strong “It’s game time.”
Other guest speakers included Northern Marianas Amateur Sports Association President Michael White.
“I’m president of NMASA but you all know where I came from. Basketball is my sport and it’s your sport too and it’s a great sport. I want to wish everybody here a very successful season and I know you can’t all be winners and receive a trophy but you’re all winners because you’re all out here trying. So do your best guys,” said President White.
White mirrored Mayor Flores’ speech by saying play fair and play true. He ended his speech by saying good luck to all the participants of the basketball league.
The opening ceremony was ended by drawing lost for the first and second debut games of the competition after each player participated in the oath of sportsmanship led by last season’s Most Valuable Player Jhun Estolas.
The first game was a bout against last season’s champs team Mobil against the Smart Cagers with the champs drawing first blood and defending their title, 92-85.
The second debut game team Rollers Madness was pegged up against team Konflikt with the latter clinching their first win during over-time, 87-84.
