[sixcol_five_last]
By Kolby Chang

Royals’ Destiny “Queen-B” Castro dribbles past Gemilie Ilao and was able to go on to score the basket. (photo by Joey Blas)
The Academy Cougars were simply too much for the ND Royals. A well-balanced Cougars squad overwhelmed the Royals and romped to a 54-28 win in the IIAAG Girls Basketball League Friday night at the Academy gym and ended the season with an impressive 11-1 record – best in the league.
The defending champion Cougars begin their quest for another title next week when the playoffs start.
“It’s always important to end the regular season with a victory,” said Cougars’ coach Eddie Pelkey. “We got to get focused and we got to get our mind set. We’re going to enjoy this victory tonight but the real season starts on Tuesday.”
Pelkey added that it’s critical that the team focus all their attention on the next game because that will decide if the Cougars advance to the next round or go home empty-handed.
“We’re not looking past anyone else. Whoever we’re playing on Tuesday is our biggest threat because if we can’t win that game we can’t get to where we want to go,” Pelkey said.
Alina “ICE” Bonto led the Cougars with a game-high 22 points, while Gemilie Ilao chipped in seven points. The Cougars bench provided some scoring punch as well as Dolores Herrera scored eight points and Kali Benavente added six points along with five assists.

Cougars’ Alina “ICE” Bonto drills the three pointer to increase the lead over the Royals. (photo by Joey Blas)
Bonto opened the game with a strong left-handed drive straight to the rack and followed it up with another layup off a fast break. Not to be outdone, Royals’ guard Destiny “Queen-B” Castro split the Cougar defense and laid the ball off the glass to make the score 4-2.
The two-point deficit was as close as the Royals were going to get as the Cougars had too many weapons on offense for the visiting team to contain. Benavente entered the fray about midway through the first quarter and converted a fast break layup to put the Cougars up 10-4.
In the second quarter, Benavente fired a crosscourt dime to Bonto who drove baseline and buried a layup plus the foul to make it 15-4. Castro and the Royals, however, rallied and cut the deficit to 17-12 after Castro stole a pass and drained a 12-foot jumper on the fast break.
The Cougars answered with a 10-0 run capped off by a Bonto triple from the corner. Towards the end of the quarter, Benavente ripped away a pass and dropped a no-look assist to Erin Wong for the bucket and foul.
Pelkey put in his bench early in the third quarter and Herrera responded by knocking down back-to-back three pointers and sunk in a short jumper in the paint. Bonto and Ilao reentered the game in the final minute of the fourth quarter and Bonto sealed a stellar performance with another three-pointer for the final score.
Castro paced the Royals with 15 points and Corina Dudkiewicz added four points. The Royals ended their season with a 5-7 record.
Other Scores
Southern 62, Guam High 19 (SO: Flores 14 pts, Tenorio 12 pts)
Okkodo 62, St. Paul 58
Sanchez 44, JFK 43 (2OT)
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GPS Sports Calendar
January 2023
- SU
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- FR
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- 1
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Events for December
31st
Events for January
1st
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2nd
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3rd
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4th
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5th
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6th
- 8
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Events for January
7th
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8th
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9th
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10th
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11th
Events for January
12th
Events for January
14th
Events for January
15th
Events for January
16th
Events for January
17th
Events for January
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL
Events for January
21st
LIFT HEAVY + LIFT FAST – BFF SERIES
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for January
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for January
24th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for January
25th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for January
26th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for January
27th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
GLORIFIED SPARRING X
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL
Events for January
28th
5K DASH FOR ASH
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for January
29th
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 1
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL
Events for January
30th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for January
31st
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL

Running/Track
’23 TRACK SEASON OPENS

Volleyball
H.S. BEACH VOLLEYBALL IN FULL SWING

Basketball
TAKUMI SIMON MAKING THE BEST OF PRO LIFE

MMA/Boxing
GLORIFIED SPARRING 10 SET FOR FRIDAY NIGHT

Basketball
WARRIORS COMPLETE TRIPLE CROWN

Baseball
TRITONS OPEN INVITATIONAL WITH WIN

Basketball
TAKUMI SIMON MAKING THE BEST OF PRO LIFE

Running/Track
’23 TRACK SEASON OPENS
COMING SOON …
- 3rd Quarter Sports