
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
December 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for November
1st
ISA BOYS SOCCER
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
2nd
IRON LEGENDS THROWDOWN
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Events for December
4th
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER
ISA BOYS SOCCER
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
5th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for December
5th
Events for December
7th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
Events for December
9th
40th GRC PLUMERIA ROAD RACE
GUAM RUGBY INTERNATIONAL 7s TOURNAMENT
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
Events for December
10th
TOUR OF GUAM 2023
GUAM RUGBY INTERNATIONAL 7s TOURNAMENT
Events for December
11th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for December
12th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
12th
Events for December
14th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER FINALS
Events for December
15th
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL FINALS
Events for December
16th
3rd GUAM NINJA CHAMPIONSHIP
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Events for December
16th
Events for December
18th
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER ALL-ISLAND MEETING
Events for December
19th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
19th
Events for December
23rd
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
ISA HS BASEBALL FINALS
Events for December
23rd
Events for December
24th
Events for December
25th
Events for December
27th
Events for December
29th
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Events for December
30th

Baseball
ROYALS DOWN FRIARS IN STATEMENT GAME

Basketball
3×3 HOOPS REPEAT AS GOLDEN BOYS

Basketball
RAPADAS LEADS WILD COUGAR COMEBACK

Baseball
GUAM HOSTS KIWIS IN U15 BASEBALL

Baseball
ROYALS DOWN FRIARS IN STATEMENT GAME

Basketball
SHARKS FEND OFF DOLPHINS IN GIRLS HOOPS
COMING SOON …
- IIAAG Girls Basketball Playoffs