Referees - Greg Iginoef, Ric Manzano, Ferdie Tobias, Robert Tamondong, Arnold Mesa. Members of the referees not in the photo are as follows: Connie Camacho-President, Manny Sitchon, Nat Banatasa, Abner Venus, Joe Aguilar, & Gabriel White. Basketball Association of Northern Mariana Islands table officials, Abner Venus, Marc Venus, Adrian De Luna, Ruel Nava. Members of the table not in the photo are as follows: Vicente Manibusan, Josh Tanghal, Mady Alegre, Lily Williams. Photos by Demalynn F. Sablan

Better known as BANMIRA, the group is a non-profit organization that went through trainings and certification by FIBA Oceania.

 

BANMI is an organization who gives the youth of the CNMI as well as our locals the opportunity to become better referees as well as table officials. Their main goal is to help out basketball leagues and tournaments that need assistance either in refereeing the game of basketball or helping out with the table.

FIBA Oceania always updates BANMI in regards to changes in rules and they share this with their members. They have local referees in our group and they are Connie Camacho-President of BANMIRA, Arnold Mesa-veteran of International Competitions, Greg Iginoef-who just came back to refereeing the game of basketball again who in the past was one of the top level referees CNMI have.

BANMI has a busy schedule since officiating the Boys & Girls Marianas Interscholastic Organization Varsity as well as their Junior Varsity.

PSS Junior High School also tapped their services. Their services are also tapped by the Mason Brotherhood which is Emon Lodge 179 Basketball League, Shirleys Coffee Basketball League, United Filipino Basketball League, Tan Holdings Intercompany Basketball League, MDX Basketball League.Rotary Club of Saipan Basketball League for the Youth, Settsu-Saipan Friendship Basketball League and the Government Basketball League.

This month, BANMI will be busy. Since June 14, Tan Holdings Basketball will kick off the TSL Gillette Sports Complex as well as the Emon Lodge 179 40 and Above Masters Division. BANMI is also reviving the Inter Hotel Basketball League which will also kick off this June.

They are also getting ready for the Summer Basketball Camp for the Youth, the Rotary Club of Saipan Basketball League for the Youth. BANMIRA is doing their best to accommodate these leagues.

BANMI are inviting all interested youth and locals who would like to become referees or table officials to become a member of the Basketball Organization since the Youth is the future of the CNMI. They will be giving all those interested either by refereeing or by being a table official the proper training needed. They are looking at starting the Live Stats which is a program that FIBA Oceania had trained us in the past.

Sometimes in November 2014, BANMI will be having some training which will be conducted by FIBA Oceania Zone Development Officer. We are also blessed that the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs - Division of Youth Services have helped them out with the new set of referees and table official uniforms. BANMI will also be sending off to the Micronesian Games one of our referee for the game of basketball.

Being the Basketball Association of the Northern Mariana Islands we also have our website: fibaoceania.com, then click Northern Mariana Islands. This website was extended to the CNMI Basketball Association by FIBA.

For more inquiries you can contact the following: Tony Rogolifoi-President at 234-6672, Elias Rangamar-Vice Pres.-234-6672 or Abner Venus -664-2586.