Kinnick's KaMiyah Dabner shoots against Academy's Mia Topasna. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
TOKYO – Nile C. Kinnick’s basketball teams entered Saturday’s finals hoping for a sweep of the American School In Japan Kanto Classic tournament titles.
Instead, St. Mary’s boys and Academy of Our Lady of Guam’s girls turned it into a day of heartbreak for the Red Devils.
Towa Miyoshi hit a layup at the buzzer, capping a rally from a 37-31 deficit with 1 minute, 41 seconds left and propelling the Titans past the Red Devils 40-38 in the boys final.
“We’ve had a lot of close games this season, but these kids have fought back every time,” Titans coach Kris Thiesen said.
In the girls final, Maria Paulino scored from the left side with 1:20 left, breaking a 17-17 tie and the Cougars outscored Kinnick 10-2 to close and beat the Red Devils 27-19, avenging a 13-point loss in Thursday’s tournament group stage.
“We all stayed composed this time,” said Paulino, who led the Cougars with eight points. In their previous meeting, a 41-28 loss Thursday, “we weren’t composed and we just went wild,” Paulino said.
Boys
The Red Devils (12-4 on the season), who lost 44-29 in Thursday’s group stage, appeared to have things well in hand in the late going. Kinnick led throughout and held a six-point edge with 101 seconds left.
But Kinnick was called for a foul, then guard Xavier Wright bounced the ball hard on the court, resulting in a technical. The Titans hit four foul shots to cut the gap to 37-35, turning the tide of the game.
Zach Bingham hit a three-point goal with 1:10 left to tie it 38-38. Kinnick missed a shot its next time downcourt. William Beardsley got the rebound for St. Mary’s, which held the ball for a last-second shot. Miyoshi got a rebound of a missed Titans shot and put it back in as time ran out.
“The shots weren’t falling for us,” said Thiesen, who coached the Titans to the Far East Division I Tournament title last January on Okinawa.
“It’s a different team this year. It took Zach getting the three, William getting the rebound and Towa making that shot. These guys do not quit.”
Following the contest, coach Robert Stovall said he talked with his Kinnick charges “about composure and self-discipline. We’re supposed to get better every game. We have a game Tuesday (at home against Yokota) and we’ll get better during that game.”
Vance Lewis led the Red Devils with 16 points.
Kinnick's Vance Lewis drives into St. Mary's Julian Willis while trying to shoot. A blocking foul was called on Willis. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Kinnick's Xavier Wright tries to shoot against St. Mary's Zach Bingham and Vincent Willis. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Kinnick's Kennedy Hamilton drives against St. Mary's Zach Bingham. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Girls
Outsized by the taller Red Devils, the Cougars threw a variety of zone presses at Kinnick, forcing 14 steals in what amounted to a defensive struggle. Neither team was able to mount momentum until late.
The teams traded the lead five times in the third quarter, and seven overall. Paulino’s layup gave the Cougars the lead for good 19-17 and triggered a six-point run, including back-to-back baskets off steals.
Leona Turner finished with a game-high nine points for the Red Devils. KaMiyah Dabner had eight points and 17 boards.
“We had too many turnovers,” said Red Devils coach David Weiland on the team’s first defeat in 18 games this season. “We let them dictate the pace of the game. They wanted us to play fast, and they hit some big shots when they needed to.”
It was the last major preparation for both Kinnick teams before the Far East Division I tournaments Jan. 29-31, with the boys on Okinawa and girls at Humphreys.
Nile C. Kinnick's Leona Turner tries to shoot against Academy's Mia Marchessault. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Kinnick's Leona Turner tries to shoot past Academy's Maddia Ada and Maria Paulino. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Kinnick's KaMiyah Dabner skies above Academy's Maria Paulino for a rebound. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Perry, King triumph in WJAA
Led by Sam Kasperski, Jahiion Francois and B.J. Hill, Matthew C. Perry’s boys defeated E.J. King 55-51 in Saturday’s semifinals, dethroning the defending Western Japan Athletic Association boys basketball champion Cobras.
Kasperski scored 18 points, Hill 16 and Francois 11 as the Samurai put an end to the Cobras’ streak of two straight WJAA titles. They had won last year’s crown and the previous one in 2020, just prior to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Samurai then captured the WJAA title, beating host Canadian Academy 72-41 in the championship game behind Francois’ 40 points.
It was the Samurai’s final preparation before the Far East Division II Tournament, scheduled for Jan. 29-31 at Camp Zama.
“As long as we stay healthy, we have a shot,” coach Daniel Burns said.
King’s boys team only had six players this weekend. “We did what we could,” Cobras coach Travis Elliott said. “Resiliency and tenacity. Very proud.”
Meanwhile, at Osaka, E.J. King’s girls made it two straight WJAA titles and three in the last eight years.
The Cobras got 20 points from Moa Best, 17 from Miu Best and 15 from Maliwan Schinker in a 58-28 semifinal win over Yokohama International.
In King’s 71-44 championship win over Canadian Academy, Miu Best had 28 points, Schinker 20 and Moa Best 14 to overcome Kei Jodai’s 29 points for the Falcons.
Perry’s girls went 3-1 on the weekend, playing two extra-time games on Saturday, beating Yokohama International 26-23 in the third-place game.
