Kubasaki guard Thaddeus Reap gets fouled as he jumps into two Konan defenders during Friday's game at Camp Foster, Okinawa. Kubasaki won 84-66. (Dave Ornauer / S&S)
(High school results at end of story)
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Ka’leen Mathieu had no idea how close to history she’d come. All the Kubasaki Dragons senior swingman knew was her team was in trouble and needed to fight to come from behind.
She scored 21 fourth-quarter points en route to a total of 40 — one short of the Pacific game record for girls — and the Dragons rallied from a 13-point third-quarter deficit for a 77-74 victory Friday over Urasoe Commercial High, a Japanese team.
“I wasn’t paying attention” to her scoring, Mathieu said, not knowing she’d come within a point of the record.
“I was just playing ball.”
Making her feat all the more remarkable was that Mathieu had missed a week of practice with the flu and sat out the entire first quarter Friday. And even with Mathieu in the game, coach Robert Driggs said he’d planned to share the scoring wealth.
“Our shooting solutions came back to her a number of times,” said Driggs, whose Dragons improved to 2-2 in Okinawa-American League play and 5-7 overall. “We’re trying to balance things out. But when you [Mathieu] get the looks, you have to take them.”
After an early see-saw in which the game was tied three times and the lead changed hands three times, Urasoe pushed in front by 11 late in the second quarter and led 41-34 at halftime.
Kubasaki slashed it to 43-42 on Erin Foote’s three-pointer with 6:50 left in the third quarter before Urasoe used a 13-1 run to go up 56-43 late in the period.
Then Mathieu took over, scoring repeatedly on drives to the basket. Another Foote three-pointer gave Kubasaki the lead for good 65-63 with 5:18 remaining.
Having lost their previous OAL game and then blowing a 10-point lead to Okinawa Activities Council archrival Kadena the week before made Mathieu and the Dragons “tired of losing,” she said.
“We have a tournament we’re working to get ready for,” Mathieu said of the Dragons’ defense of their Far East Class AA Tournament crown next month at Seoul American High.
“We’re coming together. I’m proud of the team.”
Transfers complete Kubasaki boys hoops picture
Kubasaki’s boys basketball team fell on hard times last season.
After losing All-Far East players Adam Hodges and Bill Gray to graduation, the Dragons, who’d finished second in the 2003 Class AA tournament, fell to 9-17 and never seemed to adequately replace Hodges and Gray.
That’s changed this season, coach Chris Sullivan said, with the addition of three transfers — senior point guard Marcus Carson, who transferred from Virginia, junior guard Steven Ellis from California and junior center Stephen Thompson from North Carolina.
“It brings us back to where it was two years ago,” Sullivan said moments after the Dragons improved to 10-3 with an 84-66 whipping of Konan, a Japanese team.
“We’re probably stronger both inside and outside than two years ago with these three guys. The PCS plane was good to us. We’re thankful for that.”
Pacific H.S. results
Boys basketball
Friday's games
Christian Academy In Japan 55, Zama American 44
Zama..........8 12 12 12-44
CAJ..........14 18 12 11-55
Leading scorers-CAJ, Andy Clark 23 (14 second quarter), Michael Kiyo 11; Zama, Will Badillo 16, Aaron Tabor 14. Leading rebounders-CAJ, Andy Clark 11; Zama, Aaron Tabor 13. Noteworthy-Clark’s 14-point second quarter helped Knights build 12-point halftime lead.
Father Duenas Memorial 56, Guam High 43
Father Duenas..........15 15 13 13-56
Guam High..........9 6 19 9-43
Leading scorers-Father Duenas, Ramsey Cooper-Nurse 12, Julius Yu 10; Guam High, Rony Harden 8. Leading rebounders-Guam High, Rony Harden 11, Justin Washington 10, Doug Bloom 8, Justin Lee 5, Ed Poppe 5.
Kubasaki 84, Konan 66
At Camp Foster, Okinawa
Konan..........10 11 22 23-66
Kubasaki..........27 23 20 14-84
Leading scorers-Kubasaki, Ronnie Stephens 32, Marcus Carson 15, Stephen Thompson 14; Konan, Riku Higa 23 (all second half, three three-point goals), Yuuki Ueda 13, Taiki Kudaka 10.
Kadena 93, Oroku 75
Oroku..........24 18 18 15-75
Kadena..........19 30 23 21-93
Leading scorers-Kadena, Z’aire Jackson 25, Terence Reid 22 (three three-point goals). Leading rebounder-Kadena, Z’aire Jackson 11. Blocked shots-Kadena, Z’aire Jackson 7.
Thursday’s game
Korea Kent Foreign 31, Korea International 10
Korea..........3 0 4 3-10
Kent..........10 8 4 9-31
Leading scorer-Kent, Akira Takahashi 12.
Girls basketball
Friday’s games
Kubasaki 77, Urasoe Shogyo 74
UraSho..........15 26 15 18-74
Kubasaki..........11 23 14 29-77
Leading scorers-Kubasaki, Ka’leen Mathieu 40 (21 fourth quarter), Erin Foote 19 (three three-point goals); UraSho, Mariko Tanaka 15, Saori Arakaki 13, Yui Kishagura 12. Leading rebounder-Kubasaki Ka’leen Mathieu 12.
Koza 68, Kadena 62
Halftime-Kadena 35, Koza 33; quarter scores not available. Leading scorers-Kadena, Elizabeth Cotto 22, Alison Montes de Oca 16. Leading rebounders-Kadena, Elizabeth Cotto 16, Alicia Larson 10, Alison Montes de Oca 6. Noteworthy-30 turnovers and 6-for-15 free-throw shooting contributed to loss for Panthers (10-3).
Seoul American 44, Taegu American 31
Taegu..........4 11 7 9-31
Seoul..........15 12 9 8-44
Leading scorers-Seoul, Janel Daniels 19, Erika Anglade 10; Taegu, Lynette Grant 12, Kelli Cox 9. Leading rebounders-Seoul, Erika Anglade 11, Janel Daniels 10. Steals-Seoul, Angie Law 5.
Pusan American 39, International Christian-Seoul 13
ICS-Seoul..........0 2 8 3-13
Pusan..........11 8 11 9-39
Leading scorer-Pusan, Brieanna Carroll 23. Leading rebounders-Pusan, Shabraya Hays 18, Kristine Meany 17, Brieanna Carroll 11.
Thursday’s game
Korea International 35, Korea Kent Foreign 2
At Seoul
Korea..........10 11 12 2-35
Kent..........0 0 0 2- 2
No statistics available.
Wrestling
Thursday’s summary
American School In Japan 30, Christian Academy In Japan 24
101 pounds-Dino Politis, ASIJ, by walkover
108-Scott Metts, ASIJ, by walkover
115-Yoshiya Morita, CAJ, superior decisioned Jackson Fischer, score and time unavailable
122-Jordan Foxwell, CAJ, pinned Jon Prager, 2:30
129-Choung Sung Chung, CAJ, pinned Peter Jacobsson, 2:18
135-Matt Ellis, ASIJ, by walkover
141-Daniel Zinke, CAJ, pinned Andrew Harvey, 4:22
148-John Bannister, CAJ, superior decisioned Blake McCollum, score and time unavailable
158-Sam Shin, ASIJ, by walkover
168-Steve Hederstedt, CAJ, pinned Joe Douglas, 4:25
180-Adam Sherman, ASIJ, by walkover
215-Sam Lyons, ASIJ, by walkover
Heavyweight-Tim Jacobsson, ASIJ, by walkover
