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By Robert Balajadia
The JFK Islanders are the hottest team in the IIAAG boys basketball league behind a great cast of players and a coach that has managed to make it all work.
Islanders coach Rey Serafico has the boys winning and on pace for a terrific run at a championship. Their only loss came in their second game of the season against the Okkodo Bulldogs in a down-to-the-wire game that featured a Bulldog comeback to win 51-48. To many, it felt like a championship game.
“I told them the loss against Okkodo will test our character. It was a tough loss, and a bad team would probably fold, but a good team would work and come back better. We’re still getting better as the season is coming along and they work hard ever single day,” said coach Serafico.
The Islanders stand 8-1 while riding a seven-game win streak.
Serafico is a first time coach at JFK in his 10-year tenure after coaching the Academy Cougars and Okkodo Bulldogs. The boys give a lot of credit to Serafico for their success this season and the players have bought in to what Serafico was selling since day one.
“I made these guys believe what we were doing from the start is going to take us over the hump. The Islanders for the past years has had a lot of talent, but could not seem to put it together. We focus on working on the little stuff and make sure we come out strong in practice and every game.”
Serafico has a great relationship with girls basketball coach legend Joe Taitano, who he learned a great deal from. Taitano can be seen on the sidelines of the Guam High Panthers this year, while Serafico takes over at JFK where Taitano built his legacy. After ending the Panthers 5-0 start, Serafico had nothing but respect for Taitano.
“I respect coach Taitano and Borja and the way they’re coaching their boys. It’s healthy competition when we meet, the players are competing and so are the coaches. It’s more like praising each other rather than fighting.”
With the success the Islanders have had this season, being one of the league’s top dogs garner some type of pressure. Serafico counters the pressure and expectations put on him and instead challenges his players to respond, and so far, his players are responding.
“I put a lot of pressure on my players. I tell them we are either going to win a championship or it’s a bust.”
The Islanders are led by veteran players like guard Kurtis Silva and forward Ricky Pak, and also have a couple of young sophomores who have a promising future in swingman Billy Belger and Aljurrell Grape. With all the talent on the roster, chemistry was never a problem with each other or with coach Serafico.
“They developed chemistry from the start. What I want done, they get it. I tell them sometimes adversity will get you guys and it all depends how you respond to it. It displayed in our game against Guam High when we were down and came back to win it.”
With less than half of the season left to go, the Islanders are going to get behind Serafico with high hopes to bring the championship trophy back to JFK after it has eluded them for quite some time.


Foody’s Fun Facts
Foody’s Fun Facts with Makayla Atoigue
ND Royals Rugby Player Makayla Atoigue lays down her Foody’s Fun Facts and shares her dream vacation spot
GPS Sports Calendar
May 2022
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
- SU
- 25
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- 1
Events for May
2nd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET #4
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
3rd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL QUARTERFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
5th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
6th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
7th
GPD HOT PURSUIT 5K
MARIANAS OPEN
ISA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for May
9th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET #5
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER All-Star Meeting
IIAAG GIRLS BEACH VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG GIRLS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL FINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
10th
Events for May
12th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS VOLLEYBALL ALL-ISLAND MEETING
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
12th
Events for May
14th
14th JUDICA CRABAO 5K
ISA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA GIRLS SOCCER FINALS
Events for May
16th
ISA TRACK & FIELD ALL-ISLAND MEET
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE All-Star Meeting
Events for May
17th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
18th
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG GIRLS MIDDLE SCHOOL BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Events for May
19th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
20th
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL All-Star Meeting
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
21st
Pre-Memorial Day 13-Miler
GETTING GUAM HEALTHY 5K BUBBLE RUN/HEALTH FAIR
ISA MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD All-ISLAND MEET
ISA RUGBY LEAGUE FINALS
ALPHA WARRIOR ESPORTS CHAMPIONSHIPS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE FINALS
2022 Guam Track & Field National Championships
Events for May
23rd
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL SEMIFINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
24th
Events for May
26th
ISA BOYS VOLLEYBALL FINALS
GUAM MAJOR LEAGUE
Events for May
27th
- 30
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Events for May
29th
Events for May
30th

Baseball
DODGERS HAND TRITONS FIRST LOSS

Running/Track
FBLG, BMS CONQUER MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK & FIELD ALL-ISLAND

Volleyball
ROSARIO: BOYS VOLLEYBALL MVP

Baseball
NINETE, JR. WINS 2022 BASEBALL MVP

Running/Track
PANTHERS SWEEP ALL-ISLAND TRACK & FIELD MEET
Foody’s Fun Facts
Foody’s Fun Facts with Makayla Atoigue
ND Royals Rugby Player Makayla Atoigue lays down her Foody’s Fun Facts and shares her dream vacation spot
Foody’s Fun Facts
Foody’s Fun Facts with Makayla Atoigue
ND Royals Rugby Player Makayla Atoigue lays down her Foody’s Fun Facts and shares her dream vacation spot
COMING SOON …
- IIAAG & ISA Championships
- YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE KICKOFF June 4
- GSPN Boys Volleyball All-Star Game
- Pacific Mini-Games in Saipan