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While Kubasaki senior Gabby Falco rose to record heights, Kubasaki’s and St. Mary’s International’s boys chased record depths.

They each made history in Thursday’s Far East High School Class AA Basketball Tournament play as the fields were narrowed to the Final Fours in those as well as the Class A tournaments.

Kubasaki boys coach Jon Fick attempted a four-quarter stall against defending champion St. Mary’s in Thursday’s quarterfinal. It almost worked, as the Titans prevailed 12-11 over Fick’s Dragons in a game in which two points were scored through the first 23:55.

St. Mary’s beat the tournament record for lowest winning score, 21, set in 1949 by Meguro in a 21-18 victory over St. Joseph’s.

"St. Mary’s slows everybody else down" with their patient offense, Fick said at halftime, "so I wanted to slow them down. It could be the dumbest thing I’ve ever done or it could work out for us."

Toni Taniguchi had the only points through three quarters; St. Mary’s took a 5-0 lead into the fourth. Only then did Kubasaki become aggressive, while St. Mary’s slowed the tempo.

Amritpal Warraich hit two free throws with 1:06 left to give St. Mary’s the lead for good, 7-6, then what proved to be the winning foul shot to make it 12-9 with 23.3 seconds left. A.J. Watson clipped the margin to 12-11 with a layup in the closing seconds.

"I don’t know if I’d ever do that again," Fick said after the final buzzer. "You feel like you cheated your players out of a game."

"Weirdest thing I’ve ever seen," Titans coach George Clarkson said.

St. Mary’s advanced to its second straight Final Four and a Friday semifinal date with Simon Sanchez of Guam. Another Guam team, Okkodo, was to face Kadena in the other semifinal.

Kubasaki’s girls did not advance to the semis, but Falco bested the tournament scoring record, netting 42 points as the Dragons won their first game since December, 71-56 over Yokota.

"That’s so awesome. I’m really happy right now," Falco said after breaking the record of 41 set in 2000 by Yevonne Sears of Robert D. Edgren, also against Yokota. Falco also holds the Pacific’s all-time game scoring record of 44, set in November.

Kadena reached its eighth straight Final Four and booked a semifinal date with Seoul American, in its 16th straight Final Four. Defending champion Faith Academy was to face Notre Dame of Guam in the other semifinal.

Stealing a page from Fick’s playbook, Daegu American coach Michelle Chandler also played slowdown ball and fashioned a 30-19 victory over favored International School of the Sacred Heart in the Girls Class A Tournament on the Warriors’ home court at Kelly Gym on Camp Walker.

In the Boys Class A Tournament at Misawa Air Base, Japan, host Robert D. Edgren stood ready for a championship bracket final Friday against defending champion Morrison Christian Academy. Still alive in the knockout bracket were Daegu American and Osan American.

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