• See the tournament box scores and schedules here.
Injuries took their toll as the 2010 Far East High School Basketball Tournaments got under way Monday.
Senior star Miles Peterson of Boys Class AA Tournament co-favorite Christian Academy in Japan sat on the bench after hurting his left ankle in a tune-up game Saturday at CAJ against Faith Academy.
“Blocking shots, putbacks, scoring inside, he’s just so dominant. They’re a different team without him,” said coach Bob Bliss of the only team in 22 games to beat CAJ this year, Class AA co-favorite Kadena.
Knights coach Craig Eby said the best-case scenario would be Peterson, who averages 25 points and 20 rebounds, sitting out the two days of pool play and returning Wednesday for the single-elimination playoffs. Despite Peterson sitting, the Knights won their two pool-play games Monday.
So, too, did Seoul American’s boys, who rallied for their two victories, including a 59-58 victory over American School In Japan in which the Falcons trailed 58-53 with 13.8 seconds left.
But those victories came at a high cost — sophomore Tommy Akinbayo, whose two three-point plays in the closing seconds saved the Falcons against ASIJ, tweaked his right ankle and sat most of a 52-50 victory over John F. Kennedy.
Seoul American’s girls, favored to win their Class AA tournament at Camp Zama, Japan, suffered a scare as center Destinee Harrison tweaked an ankle barely into the first quarter of the Falcons’ 64-30 romp over Kubasaki.
“Nothing serious,” coach Billy Ratcliff said. “We could have put Destinee back in, but we have six games to play.”
Kubasaki later lost star senior Gabby Falco to a slight concussion, suffered during a 40-26 loss to Zama American. Falco is expected to return Wednesday, coach Stephanie Davis said.