PRESS RELEASE – Guam Basketball Confederation (GBC) is pleased to announce that referee Felix Benavente Jr. has received his FIBA Referee License.
FIBA is the International Basketball Federation, an association of national organizations which governs international competition in basketball.
FIBA Oceania Secretary General David Crocker released a statement today:
“It’s very pleasing to have Felix join the elite ranks of international refereeing as a FIBA licensed official. He has worked hard to get himself to the Pacific Championships in New Zealand and performed very well in the physical aspects of being an elite official, demonstrated a strong knowledge of the rules and their application and importantly officiated well on international games. Felix proves that you can be located anywhere in the world and a global sport like basketball can recognize and reward your hard work. As an international licensed official, he now has some broader responsibility too in so far as helping identify the next wave of officials in Guam and to support their every effort to be at the top of their game as well.
The quality of officiating and playing go hand-in-hand. Guam needs more referees like Felix looking for every chance to improve their skills so that they can allow the players to keep getting better as well.”
Felix is only one of two officials in Micronesia who are current FIBA Licensed Referees along with Gabriel White from CNMI.