YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea — These could very easily qualify as déjà-vu times for Daegu American girls basketball coach Michelle Chandler and Seoul American boys coach Steve Boyd.
Each of the teams got a needed boost from midseason transfers. Boyd’s Falcons welcomed 6-foot-3 sophomore Thomas Akinbayo from Killeen, Texas, and Chandler and the Warriors added senior guard Alexandria Averette, who came to Korea from Ohio.
The last time players with such ability came to each team? The next year, each won a Far East High School Tournament.
Although Boyd thinks Akinbayo could be a building block for the future, Chandler says Averette could be this season’s "last piece of the puzzle."
"You can see she’s a basketball player," Chandler said of Averette.
She’s been with the Warriors for just three weeks, but was selected to the All-Tournament team in the Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference Division I tournament.
Daegu (14-6 overall, 11-3 KAIAC) finished second in the regular season and lost to Seoul American in the KAIAC tournament final.
"She can get the ball to the girls. Her skill level is higher. You can see she’s played with better players."
That’s bad news for 2009 Class A runner-up Robert D. Edgren, which lost two key post players. Eurydice Williams and Imani Wimbush transferred, leaving coach Sarah Richardson with a guard-oriented lineup, led by reigning MVP Ashley Hawkins.
"I know we have the potential to do well," Richardson said.
"I won’t underestimate anybody there. But we have some work to do."
Richardson says she knew Daegu was good without Averette, and had a confidence boost thanks to the Warriors’ Class A volleyball tournament title.
Now, the Warriors will try for a title double Monday-Friday on their home floor.
"Far East is the goal," Chandler said. "The core won in volleyball. Having this addition is the last piece of the puzzle."
Akinbayo, meanwhile, is slated to graduate in 2012, Boyd said. Coincidentally, the last top player the Falcons got from Killeen was Nino Etienne.
He earned the MVP honor for Seoul’s 2003 Class AA title team and won an NAIA national championship with Texas Wesleyan.
It might be too early to compare Akinbayo to Etienne but "next year, Tommy could blossom into that," Boyd said three days before the Class AA Tournament, scheduled for Monday-Saturday at Yokota Air Base, Japan.
Boyd calls Akinbayo the best athlete he’s gotten in eight years.
"The first day of practice, I knew then that he could probably solidify the [power forward] and [center] position for me. He’s that talented."
For Seoul American (8-12 overall, 7-7 KAIAC), the mountain is much higher this season, made that much more steep by the presence of Kevin Paranal and Kadena (26-8) and Miles Peterson and Christian Academy Japan (20-1). They enter Class AA as pre-tournament favorites.
Kadena coach Robert Bliss said being labeled with such a status is "getting ahead of ourselves. Other teams have had good years and are playing good basketball. We’re looking forward to it."
Seoul American’s girls (21-6, 14-0) are hoping to end a two-year string of heartbreaking Class AA final finishes. They lost to Kadena two years ago and to Faith Academy (23-2) last year at Camp Zama, which again hosts the tournament Monday-Saturday at Yano Fitness Center.
"We have to win seven games to win a championship," said Falcons coach Billy Ratcliff, who sports super juniors Liz Gleaves and Destinee Harrison on a deep squad.
"Ultimately, if we play our game the way we’re supposed to, the scores will take care of themselves."
What had been expected to be a four-way Boys Class A title chase became a five-way scrum, with Osan American catching fire late in the season to win its first KAIAC tournament; the Cougars (10-7, 7-7) come to Misawa Air Base riding a four-game winning streak.
"We have a system, whereas early in the year, we had to make up things as we went along," coach Kevin Peterson said.
"Now, the team knows what to do. We’ve played together and grown into knowing what we do best."
Boys Class AADates—Feb. 15-20.Host—Yokota High School, Yokota Air Base, Japan.Sites—Capps Gym, Yokota High School, and Samurai Fitness & Sports Center, Yokota Air Base, JapanParticipating Teams—Pool A, Yokota Panthers, Yokota Air Base, Japan; Kubasaki Dragons, Camp Foster, Okinawa; Simon Sanchez Sharks, Yigo, Guam; Okkodo Bulldogs, Tamuning, Guam. Pool B, Faith Academy Vanguards, Rizal, Philippines; Christian Academy In Japan Knights, Tokyo; Nile C. Kinnick Red Devils, Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan; Southern Dolphins, Agat, Guam. Pool C, Kadena Panthers, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa; St. Mary’s International Titans, Tokyo (defending champion); Father Duenas Memorial Friars, Mangilao, Guam; Zama American, Trojans, Camp Zama, Japan. Pool D, Seoul American Falcons; Guam High Panthers, Agana Heights, Guam; American School In Japan Mustangs, Tokyo; John F. Kennedy Islanders, Upper Tumon, Guam.Returning All-Far East players—DeEric Harvin (two-time selection), Yokota; Toni Taniguchi, St. Mary’s; Derrick Royster, Simon Sanchez; Mike Jorgenson, Zama; Kevin Paranal, Kadena.Format—Single round-robin, 16 teams split into four pools of four teams each, first two days. Modified single-elimination playoffs with consolation, last four days.Schedule—First pool-play games 9 a.m. Monday. Opening ceremony 9 a.m. Tuesday, followed by three-point long-distance shootout and free-throw competition, Capps Gym. Last pool-play games, 6 p.m. Tuesday. First playoff games, 9 a.m. Wednesday. Championship game, 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Closing ceremony follow.Awards—Trophies to top eight teams. Most Valuable Player, 16-player All-Tournament team, skills competition winners, Team Sportsmanship Award.On the Web—http://extranet.yokota-hs.pac.dodea.edu/default.aspxGirls Class AADates—Feb. 15-20.Host—Zama American High School, Camp Zama, Japan.Sites—Yano Fitness & Sports Center, Zama American High School, Camp Zama, and Ranger Fitness & Sports Center, Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan.Participating Teams—Pool A, Seoul American Falcons, Yongsan Garrison, South Korea; Kubasaki Dragons, Camp Foster, Okinawa; Zama American Trojans, Camp Zama, Japan; Simon Sanchez Sharks, Yigo, Guam. Pool B, Kadena Panthers, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa; Christian Academy Japan Knights, Tokyo; Southern Dolphins, Agat, Guam; Academy of Our Lady of Guam Cougars, Hagatna, Guam. Pool C, Nile C. Kinnick Red Devils, Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan; American School In Japan, Tokyo; John F. Kennedy Islanders, Upper Tumon, Guam; Notre Dame Royals, Talofofo, Guam. Pool D, Faith Academy Vanguards, Manila, Philippines (defending champion); Yokota Panthers, Yokota Air Base, Japan; Guam High Panthers, Agana Heights, Guam; George Washington Geckos, Mangilao, Guam.Returning All-Tournament players—Liz Gleaves (two-time selection), Seoul American; Kelly Hardeman, Faith; Cathy Townsel, Simon Sanchez; Anika Taylor, CAJ; Jasmine Pressley, Kadena (Class A selection out of Osan American last season).Format—Round-robin play, 16 teams divided into four pools of four teams each, first two days. Modified single-elimination playoffs with consolation, last four days.Schedule—Opening ceremony 6 p.m., Naval Air Facility Atsugi Officers’ Club. First round-robin games, 9 a.m. Monday; last round-robin games, 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Playoffs begin, 9 a.m. Wednesday. Championship game, 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Closing ceremony to follow.Awards—Trophies to top eight teams, Most Valuable Player, 15 All-Tournament players, Team Sportsmanship Award, skills competition winners.Boys Class ADates—Feb. 15-19.Host—Robert D. Edgren High School, Misawa Air Base, Japan.Site—Eagles Nest, Robert D. Edgren High School, and Potter Fitness Center, Misawa Air Base, Japan.Participating Teams—Pool A, Robert D. Edgren Eagles, Misawa Air Base, Japan; Osan American Cougars, Osan Air Base, South Korea; Matthew C. Perry Samurai, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan; Yongsan International-Seoul Guardians. Pool B, St. Paul Christian Warriors, Tamuning, Guam; Morrison Christian Academy Mustangs, Taichung, Taiwan (defending champion); E.J. King Cobras, Sasebo Naval Base, Japan; Daegu American Warriors, Camp George, South Korea.Returning All-Far East players—Stephen Hovater (reigning two-time MVP), Morrison; Kory Borja, St. Paul; Jacob Sterry, Edgren; John Ayers, Chase Dariso, Perry; Ryan Wagner, E.J. King.Format—Single round-robin, eight teams in two pools of four each, first two days. Modified double-elimination playoffs with consolation, all 12 teams eligible, last three days.Schedule—Opening ceremony, 8 a.m. Monday at Robert D. Edgren High School’s Eagles’ Nest. First pool-play games, 9 a.m. Monday; last pool-play games, 6 p.m. Tuesday. Playoffs begin, 10 a.m. Wednesday. Championship, 3 p.m. Friday, second game if necessary at 5:30 p.m. All-Star game vs. Morioka Minami following championship game; Awards ceremony to follow All-Star game.Awards—Trophies to top five teams, Most Valuable Player, 14 All-Tournament team selections.On the Web—http://eaglenet.edgren.pac.dodea.edu/student%20parents/Far%20East%20Basketball%20Tournament/default.aspxGirls Class ADates—Feb. 15-19.Host—Daegu American School, Camp George, South Korea.Sites—Warriors Gym, Daegu American School, Camp George, and Kelly Fitness & Sports Center, Camp Walker, South Korea.Participating Teams—International School of the Sacred Heart Symbas, Tokyo; Daegu American Warriors, Camp George, South Korea; Robert D. Edgren Eagles, Misawa Air Base, Japan; Osan American Cougars, Osan Air Base, South Korea (defending champion); St. Paul Christian Warriors, Tamuning, Guam; Morrison Christian Academy Mustangs, Taichung, Taiwan; E.J. King Cobras, Sasebo Naval Base, Japan; Matthew C. Perry Samurai, Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan; Yongsan International-Seoul Guardians.Returning All-Far East players—Ashley Hawkins (reigning MVP), Edgren; Jamie Cheniault, Daegu; Sam Nauta, St. Paul; Hannah Arbour, ISSH.Format—Single round-robin, one pool of nine teams, first two days. Modified double-elimination with consolation, all nine teams eligible, last three days.Schedule—Opening ceremony at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Kelly Gym, followed by skills competitions. First round-robin games, 9 a.m. Monday; last round-robin games, 9 p.m. Tuesday. First playoff games, 10 a.m. Wednesday. Championship game, 2:30 p.m. Friday with second game if necessary to follow. Pool A vs. Pool B All-Star Game, 5 p.m. Friday; closing ceremony to follow.Awards—Trophies to top three teams, Most Valuable Player, 10-player All-Tournament team, Top Rebounder, Top Free-Throw Shooter and Top Gun Awards.