Maybe it was the seniors being hungry. Maybe it was the late-season addition of senior guard Alexzandria Averette. Maybe it was the spirit of late Daegu American star Lynnette Grant in the gym.
Maybe it was all three, coach Michelle Chandler said, after the Warriors captured their second Far East Girls Class A Basketball Tournament title in four years, holding off International School of the Sacred Heart 42-40 in Friday’s title game at Camp Walker’s Kelly Gym.
"It feels good. I’m happy for the kids," Chandler said. "They worked hard. They wanted it. The seniors were hungry. Sacred Heart played a great game. They fought all the way to the end."
It was the second Class A title for Daegu in as many sports seasons; many of the Warriors also played for Daegu’s volleyball team, which beat Morrison Christian Academy in four sets for the title Nov. 13.
Morrison repeated its Boys Class A Tournament title, beating Daegu 74-64 at Misawa Air Base, Japan, behind Stephen Hovater’s 19 points and Matthew Heading’s 15.
In the Girls Class AA Tournament at Camp Zama, Japan, Seoul American survived a Kadena rally, edged the Panthers 67-66 and booked a final rematch with defending champion Faith Academy, which routed Notre Dame 59-31.
Defending champion St. Mary’s International reached its second straight final, edging Simon Sanchez 30-28 in the Boys Class AA Tournament semifinals at Yokota Air Base, Japan. Eight-time champion Kadena left little to chance, pounding first-time semifinalist Okkodo 51-32.
Daegu’s girls fell behind 12-2 in the first quarter, then outscored the Symbas 32-12 over the next two quarters to take command. But ISSH wasn’t done, charging back but falling just short by two points at the end.
"Our second group came in and got some points and brought us back," Chandler said. The Warriors also got 11 points from Averette, 10 rebounds from Maleah Potts-Cash and seven rebounds from Kristina Bergman.
"Averette was the addition we needed," Chandler said, adding the team was likely inspired by the memory of Grant, who led Daegu to the 2006 title before being killed in an Alabama car crash Sept. 23, 2006.
"Lynnette was with us," Chandler said, particularly with senior Jamie Cheniault.
"Jamie looked up to her. She was like her little sister."
The Symbas lost in the Class A final for the third time in four years. Senior Hannah Arbour was named tournament MVP.
At Misawa, Morrison coach Dan Robinson said the play of his inside players, plus a tough in-season schedule in Taiwan, "possibly" gave him the best team he’s had in more than 20 years of coaching the Mustangs.
"We have four post players who have good size and know how to use it," Robinson said after his Mustangs overcame the shooting of Daegu’s David Martinez (24 points, five three-pointers) and tournament MVP Antoine "Flash" Feagin (16, 3).
It was Morrison’s fourth Class A title.
Seoul American’s Destinee Harrison got off the deck after injuring her right ankle to sink two foul shots with .8 seconds left. The Falcons overcame a 33-point performance by Kadena’s Anissa Fitz.
"We feel like we prepare for every situation," Falcons coach Billy Ratcliff said. "They (Kadena) shot well and we made some mistakes. Great teams find a way to win in those situations."
Taiyo Robertson scored 15 of his 22 points in the first quarter as Kadena burst in front 25-9 against Okkodo.
The Panthers reached their 14th Class AA title game, and against a Titans team that beat them 40-37 earlier in the week in pool play.
"We’re looking forward to the chance of playing them again," Kadena coach Bob Bliss said. "It couldn’t have worked out any better for us."