
By Carmen Gogue
The Academy Cougars beat the ND Royals 39-37 in a nail-biting season opener for the ISA Girls Basketball league at the Academy gym Tuesday evening.
The Cougars previously won the preseason tournament. This game was the first time the Cougars met the Royals since the 2019 IIAAG season.
Freshman standout Torie Rapadas made her debut in the second quarter scoring four of her 17 total points. To Rapadas, high school basketball is different from middle school hoops.
“Middle school is faster than high school because in high school, it’s all mental,” said Rapadas.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there is no jump ball to start the game and instead, a coin toss determines possession. Although the Royals won the coin toss to start the game, it was a battle of the best defense to start off the first quarter.
Academy junior Myka Terlaje was the first to put two points on the board for her team off a layup. Not long after, Ori Sevilla hit a 3-pointer to put the Cougars at a 5-0 lead, eventually ending the first quarter ahead 10-4.
The Royals’ Arri Arceo hit two back-to-back 3-pointers in an attempt to shut down Cougar momentum but Academy kept a steady lead ending the second quarter 21-15.
The Cougars led throughout the third quarter ending it at 30-23.
In the 4th, ND closed the gap as Arceo hit her third 3-pointer of the game with help from teammate senior Nicolette Perez’s two points on a fast break to lessen the lead 30-28.
Unfortunately, the Royals could not stop the star freshman Rapadas as she knocked down two 3-pointers back-to-back, with the addition of two points on a fast break to extend the Cougars lead.
With time cutting close, the Royals were able to cut the lead at 37-39 from a 3-pointer made by KC Concepion and a layup by Arceo to give the Royals some hope but it wasn’t enough as time ran out during Cougar possession.
Mia Taitano had eight points for the Cougars. Arceo finished with 19 points for the Royals.
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GPS Sports Calendar
February 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for January
1st
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
2nd
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
3rd
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
4th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Events for February
6th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
7th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
8th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
9th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
10th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
TRITONS BASEBALL INVITATIONAL FINALS
Events for February
11th
Events for February
13th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
14th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
15th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
16th
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
Events for February
17th
ISA TRACK & FIELD MEET
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
Events for February
18th
World Athletics Cross Country Championships
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
Events for February
19th
SPRINT TRIATHLON, PACIFIC GAMES QUALIFIER
MONSTER ENERGY MOTOCROSS ROUND 2
Events for February
20th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
21st
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
22nd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL
Events for February
23rd
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
Events for February
24th
ISA GIRLS SOCCER
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for February
24th
Events for February
25th
Events for February
27th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS
ISA BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
ISA GIRLS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for February
28th
IIAAG BEACH VOLLEYBALL FINALS
ISA BASEBALL LEAGUE SEMIFINALS
IIAAG TENNIS LEAGUE
IIAAG BOYS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

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