Basketball for Good Making Waves in NMI

SAIPAN (Northern Mariana Islands) – Basketball is taking over the Northern Mariana Islands with BOLA Basketball launching for the second year and the Goodwill Basketball Games successfully being held.

Boosting grassroots basketball is a core strategic FIBA pillar with the Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Federation (NMIBF) taking it all in their stride with the tip-off of BOLA Basketball for Good.

Partnering with another not-for-profit, 4-H NMI, NMIBF coordinated BOLA Basketball for the second year with 80 participants aged from 7 to 14 taking part in the development program which was held two days a week for the month of May.

“Partnering with 4-H NMI was great as we had access to more volunteers and it’s exciting to play a part in their education as well as introducing them to the beautiful world of basketball and the role it can play in our education system,” NMIBF President James Lee said.

“Our senior players coordinated BOLA Basketball, which was great too, they really take the lead, and the kids look up to them.  This year we ran the program at a centralised location in our refurbished gym with air conditioning, so while we didn’t get out to all the villages, the one location worked well, and the kids just loved the experience.”

Supporting the grassroots development NMIBF recently hosted the Pohnpei Goodwill Basketball Games which incorporated 5x5 an 3x3 with the majority of athletes experiencing the hype and playing conditions of 3x3 for the first time.

Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) President, Benjamin Peterson said the games were a great way for athletes to experience off-island competition and how they shape up against the best basketballers in NMI.

“The Goodwill Basketball Games came about from the cancelation of the Micronesian Basketball Tournament (MBT) scheduled to be held in July, but due to Typhoon Mawar teams were unable to attend and it impacted the ability for the event to go ahead,” Peterson said.  “We (FSM) started dialogue with NMI who suggested this tournament to support our players who have been training and committed to national basketball duties.

“The games were a huge success and NMI were the perfect hosts.  The venue was great, and the support of the basketball community was well-received, all-round it was a good experience for everyone involved.”

With the 3x3 movement gaining momentum across Oceania, Peterson said that FSM athletes made the most of the learning experience at the Goodwill Basketball Games.

“3x3 was a huge success, it gave players more court time and the ability to shine,” Peterson said.  “For our women, it was a good learning experience, most of them are still in high school and although not familiar with the rules, they picked it up quickly.

 

“Our players and support staff had a great time in NMI, it was a huge success and a great experience that we will build on and remember for a long time.  Since COVID we have been stuck on-island (Pohnpei) playing the same teams in the same competitions, so this was our first off-island tournament in two years.  We are so grateful and thankful for the NMI team for hosting us and coordinating this tournament.”

Following the successful launch of BOLA Basketball for Good and the Pohnpei Goodwill Basketball Games, NMIBF are coordinating a series of events across the next 12 months to further engrain basketball within the community.

BOLA Basketball for Good is delivered by the Northern Mariana Islands Basketball Federation with the support of FIBA Foundation.

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ABOUT FIBA FOUNDATION

The FIBA Foundation is the social and legacy arm of FIBA that addresses the role of sports and particularly basketball in society, preserving and promoting basketball’s values and its cultural heritage.

The FIBA Foundation believes that basketball has the power to empower, educate and inspire youth and facilitates this by implementing Basketball for Good projects around the world.