Guam women's hoops National Team in full stride
Published: March 29, 2011
They came up just short of a Far East Division I Tournament title in that 2004 season, those John F. Kennedy Islanders, led by their longtime coach Joe Taitano and tournament MVP Jocelyn Pardilla, who for all her hard work couldn’t bring the Islanders over the top against the surprising Kubasaki Dragons.
Fast forward seven years, well past Pardilla’s college days at Adams State in Alamosa, Colo., and to Taitano’s ascending to the helm of Guam’s women’s basketball National Team. On the heels of their Micronesia Games championship last August in Palau, Pardilla and the National Team last Saturday brought home the gold in the March Madness Tournament at Andersen Air Force Base.
In doing so, they handed a veteran Camp Humphreys team of South Korea its first losses of the season, including a 70-51 rout in the final. The Lady Bulldogs had run the table in the Korea Traveling League and had won all four tournaments in which they entered, until they encountered the Guam National Team.
"We’re excited down here for the victory. It came against a very good team," said Taitano, who has coached high school ball and at higher levels on island for more than 30 years. He's won Far East Tournament titles in basketball and cross country, but Saturday's triumph was his first gold medal in a Pacific military Triple Crown tournament.
Taitano has help on the bench in his trusty lieutenants Ben Leon Guerrero and Arleen Mad and on the court in a cast of former and present stars from the Independent Interscholastic Athletic Association of Guam.
In addition to Pardilla, Derin Santos played for St. Paul Christian teams that came so close but yet so far in Far East Division II Tournament play. Versatile Jonimay Tepahogo plays for Notre Dame and perimeter shooting specialist Brianna Benito for Academy of Our Lady of Guam; Taitano, Leon Guerrero and Mad will coach the Lady Cougars when IIAAG girls basketball season starts this weekend. The three also coach Guam High’s boys team.
The coaching triad and the National Team have worked together for more than a year now, with the goal being capturing as much gold as it is capable. Next stop: South Pacific Games this summer in New Caledonia.
"I think we’re headed in the right direction," Taitano said.
