Tianna Crawley, left, and Kadena hope to repeat as D-I champions; Jala Watson and Yokota are seeking their first D-II crown since winning four straight, 2015-18. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Never in the history of the Far East Division II girls tournament has Matthew C. Perry hoisted the championship banner.
At 18-1 this season, featuring strong backcourt ballhandling and scoring depth and good size in the middle, the Samurai might have their best chance, coach Joshua Henry says.
“We think we can do some damage here,” said Henry, who three seasons ago took over a Samurai team that had been down at the heels for years.
They went winless between the fifth-place game in the DODEA-Japan tournament Feb. 8, 2020, and opening weekend of the season Nov. 18, 2022. The Samurai had gone 4-10 the year before Henry took over.
Just a week ago, the Samurai took the Western Japan Athletic Association Tournament title in Osaka. They now take aim at their first D-II crown, which they could clinch Wednesday on their home court.
“I’m just telling them to play to the best of their ability, work together, really get that bond,” Henry said.
Helping toward that end is a mix of youthful ability and veteran savvy. Sophomore All-Far East guard Elieza Cuaco quarterbacks the offense, aided by senior Starr Kinder, freshman Carmella Sudo and sophomore Naiya Burford with some depth behind them.
In the paint is junior Brooklyn Hunter, strong on the boards and a solid scorer. “She’s the force in the middle,” Henry said of Hunter.
They’ll have to get along without Burford on the first day and Sudo on the last, due to academic commitments. “It’ll be tough,” Henry said. “But we still have a lot of depth outside. We’re shoring it up. We’ve taught them well. They just have to execute.”
And they’ll also have to beware of Christian Academy Japan, which features a skilled point guard of its own, Misaki Matsuoka, who can distribute as well as finish.
The Knights won D-II in 2023 and are vying for a return to the top.
“You cannot allow her to be comfortable running the offense,” Yokota coach Byron Wrenn said. “She can not only set up plays, but she can score when she needs to. CAJ plays within their skills and abilities, but she elevates the level of play of her teammates.”
If Matsuoka is on her game, “the other team needs to be perfect,” Zama coach Shawen Smith said. “Any team is going to have to contain her to have a chance to win. She is a very accurate shooter and can hit from anywhere on the court. Her teammates find ways to get her open.”
Naiya Burford of Perry, right, is hoping she and her Samurai can wrest the D-II title from Kirrah Watson and two-time defending champion E.J. King (Taisei Shimakura/Special to Stripes)
Starr Kinder, middle, is one of Perry’s deep roster of guards. (Taisei Shimakura/Special to Stripes)
Brooklyn Hunter is what coach Joshua Henry calls "the force in the middle" for Perry. (Kevin Rossiter/Special to Stripes)
Alice Phillips, right, could be quite a handful for Amarie Allen and Kadena, which is trying to repeat as D-I champion. The Mustangs are seeking their first D-I crown since 2015. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Just as D-II has the Knights standing the way, so, too, does D-I have a non-DODEA entity hungry for another title. American School In Japan, which lost in last year’s final 36-27 to Kadena, hasn’t won a D-I crown since taking it back to back in 2014-15.
The key that makes the Mustangs go? Alice Phillips, a senior who can play anywhere on the court, distribute the ball and finish, as does Matsuoka for the Knights.
“Good patience, good communication on the court within our team, taking our time,” Panthers senior Jazlene Vergara said of what it takes to stay with ASIJ. The Mustangs beat the Panthers 29-26 in last week’s ASIJ Kanto Classic final.
“Patience is really everything,” Vergara said, adding of Phillips, “You have to watch out for her wherever she comes from. She sets up her teammates and executes plays herself.”
Both the D-I and D-II tournaments feature pool-play and single-elimination rounds. The D-I tournament runs two days, Monday-Tuesday, at Kubasaki, and the D-II three days at Matthew C. Perry.
