List of players complete; membership meeting today

By Jon Perez
Reporter

The Northern Marianas Badminton Federation released the 64-player list that will see action in the upcoming league-type tournament next month at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium.

The 64 players are classified into the three divisions, namely: A, B, and C. They will be grouped into eight players in each team where they will play six or seven events in a round-robin format.

Leading the list are men's A players Ryan Achas, Lito Mendoza, Edwin Montoya, Raj Jayalal, Jerry Hibi, Jae Gang Lee, Eric Peña, and Priywathan Wijay.

Aside from the eight in the men's A division, there are 21 players in the men's B, and 15 in women's B while the men and women's C is composed of eight and 12 each.

Others in the list are Marconi Calindas, Patrick Fieldad, Jun Pineda, Shirley Kim, Christy Villaflor, Ronnie Lanuza, Michelle Salvador, Jojo Lazaro, Hapi Gabriel, Eydie Uy, Malou Malasarte, Ariel Mariano, Malou Guzman, Annette Quiambao, Joseph Santos, Jonathan Perez, June Padua, Marylyn Montano, Jason Junio, Lherie Galvan, and Juliet Ramos.

Rey Julongbayan, Jojo Savellano, Russell Salao, Gigi Zapanta, Aries Cordero, Cherry Javier, Angie Ito, Roger Vales, Celso Agui, Loida Ito, Elma Labuson, Narlou Achas, Irene Santiago, Lea Estinopo, Rommel Villaviza, Gary Bandoja, Merlie Savellano, Marlene Peraja, Lani Bartolome, Sherwin Pasillos, and Malou Mendoza will also see action.

Making up the rest of the participants are Bhabes Cielo, Ray Sanchez, Janis Parcon, Camille Samonte, Jorge Olanda, Emil De Belen, Robert Reyes, Edwin Maratas, Saul Gargallo, Hector Benitez, Ingrid Sanchez, Lot Abuel, Efren Cacdac, and Winnie Bonifacio.

The tournament format will have one team play four events of six or seven games in one day consisting of men's singles, two games each in the men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles.

Each team will accumulate all wins with the squad that has the most wins after the seven-Saturday tournament being declared the champion. The league-type tournament will run up to Nov. 24. Cash prizes and trophies await the top three finishers.

Players must have played a minimum of five games in any of the four events offered in the duration of the tournament. No player is allowed to play three games in one day.

Organizers of the tournament have already sought several companies for assistance in sponsoring a team or teams in the Saturday-only tournament.

The entrance fee per team is $500 where $300 will be shouldered by a sponsor/s, while the remaining amount will be divided among the eight players of a team.

In other news, the NMBF will have a general membership meeting at 7pm today at the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium before the start of the scheduled night practice session.

Aside from the discussing the tournament, another issue up for discussion is to fill in the positions of several inactive officers due to valid reasons.

For more information, call NMBF acting president Edwin Montoya at 288-1436 or PRO Mark Rabago at 235-0515, or email at nmbf@yahoogroups.com.