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Young Knights Stun Bulldogs
By Robert Balajadia
The St. John’s Knights made a big statement early in the IIAAG boys basketball season with a clutch 69-64 win over the Okkodo Bulldogs, and have to be taken seriously whomever challenges them despite a cast full of freshmen ballers.
The Knights came back from a large deficit Tuesday against the St. Paul Warriors to nearly steal the opening game of the season and then defeated the Harvest Eagles Friday night to get their first win. Saturday’s milestone though, defeating the Okkodo Bulldogs for the first time ever had to have been the biggest opening week takeaway from the “Fab Five” as GSPN writer Jay Leon Guerrero calls them.
St. John’s fought back from a double-digit deficit to get the score 64-58 under two minutes left in the contest when all the starters stepped up in clutch fashion.
Knights senior Arvin Flores hit two free throws to get within 64-60, then freshman teammate Michael Min capitalized on a Bulldogs turnover on the following possession to get even closer, 64-62. Knights freshman forward Tony Hsieh then stepped in front of a driving Bulldog Karl Melencio at the one-minute mark to foul Melencio out of the contest.
Wasting no time, the Knights got a huge three-point bucket from freshman Takumi “Curry” Simon with 50 seconds left in the game to take a 65-64 lead. Hsieh added a point at the free throw line after a missed shot attempt by the Bulldogs and Simon picked off the Bulldogs on the inbound pass and dished it to center Isaac Sim who got fouled and converted both freebies to go up 68-64.
A last ditch three by Okkodo allowed Min to tack on another point at the free throw line after the last games foul to complete the young Knights biggest win of their first high school season.
Sharks Take Siege In Second Half Over Eagles
By Jay Leon Guerrero
Patience on offense turned into high percentage, open shots for the Sanchez Sharks as they secured a key road victory against the Harvest Eagles 49-38 in the IIAAG boys basketball league. Pre-season all-tournament team guard John Buan made plays on both sides of the court and Anthony Castro came up big in the third period to help the Sharks improve to 2-1 for the season, the Eagles are winless at 0-3.
Buan stalked the Eagles on defense, recording two steals in the first quarter that led to uncontested lay-ups to go up 14-9 after the first period. The Eagles closed out the first half cutting the lead to a point behind the shooting of Kobe Sotelo and Yzaack Pecson to trail 20-21 at the break.
Eeland Wilter helped the Eagles to their first lead of the contested going up 22-21 to open up the second half. The Eagle lead lasted about 15 seconds with Castro hitting his first of two 3-pointers in the quarter to put the silver and black up for good. Castro scored 9 points in the decisive third quarter as they cruised to victory. With no shot clock in high school basketball, the Sharks constantly swung the ball until an open shot was available.
If a shot in the paint was unavailable, the Sharks pulled the trigger from beyond the arc, hitting 7-for-19 from downtown. “We played a little sloppy in the first half, we were looking for better execution after halftime. We know we can be one of the top teams in this league, we just got to play the way we are supposed to be playing,” said Castro.
Harvest looked to run in the final period with Sotelo leading the charge, but the Sharks slowed the tempo and controlled the pace of the game. Sotelo scored 11 points and had 5 assists, Wilter also scored 11 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.
Buan had a complete game with a game high 15 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals to lead the Sharks. Castro had 12 points, but his 9 scored in the third was a very important key to victory.
The Sharks will take on the St. John’s Knights on their next game. The Knights pulled off a huge upset over the Okkodo Bulldogs 69-64. The Sharks and Knights will each bring a 2-1 record into their next matchup next Tuesday at Sanchez
In the junior varsity game, the Eagles won 47-32. Mark Temerowski scored a game high 16 points for the Eagles, Evander DeGuzman scored 15 for the Sharks.
Other Scores
FD 61, Guam High 46
JFK 65, St. Paul 51
Southern 53 , ND 47
GW 76, Tiyan 54 (GW: Devin San Agustin 20 pts, 7 rebs)
PHOTO GALLERY:
GPS Sports Calendar
March 2024
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for February
1st
ISA SOFTBALL
IIAAG MS GIRLS SOCCER FINALS
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
HS RUGBY PLAYOFFS
Events for March
2nd
HS RUGBY
ISA GIRLS SOFTBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL FINALS
Events for March
2nd
Events for March
4th
ISA HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS
ISA SOFTBALL ALL-ISLAND COACHES MEETING
Events for March
5th
HS RUGBY PLAYOFFS
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
Events for March
8th
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL FINALS
ISA HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS PLAYOFFS
Events for March
9th
ISA SOFTBALL FINALS
HS RUGBY FINALS
Events for March
9th
Events for March
14th
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
Events for March
16th
Events for March
17th
Events for March
18th
Events for March
19th
Events for March
20th
Events for March
22nd
Events for March
24th
Events for March
25th
Events for March
27th
Events for March
28th
Events for March
29th
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Events for March
30th
Soccer
ISLANDERS OUTSHOOT DOLPHINS
Uncategorized
4TH QUARTER SPORTS SET FOR TAKE OFF
Soccer
ISLANDERS OUTSHOOT DOLPHINS
Uncategorized
4TH QUARTER SPORTS SET FOR TAKE OFF
COMING SOON …
4th Quarter Sports
- Guam Marathon