U16 STINGRAYS WIN SEOUL HOOPS TOURNEY

PRESS RELEASE – The U16 Stingrays Basketball Club were crowned champions of their division at the Seoul Youth International Basketball Series Aug 5 in Seoul, South Korea.

In the championship game, the Stingrays played JCCSS — a club team from Hong Kong. The competitive club had a team in each of the championship games for their respective divisions at the SYIBS tournament.

In the battle for the chip, the gap was never more than four points until the fourth quarter. With a large, loud crowd hyping up both sides, the Stingray defense cranked up the heat, forcing the JCCSS guards into turnovers while containing their best creator. The result was a 37-26 victory for the Stingrays and the overall chip.

Kenadie Paulino had 16 points, 3 assists and 3 steals to end the game. Teammate Madeleine Ada chipped in 9 points, 2 assists and four steals in the victory.

In the other division, the U14 Stingrays fell in their semifinal match against Motion Sports – club team from Korea who became the eventual champions. In the semis, the Stingrays went down early 9-0. They regrouped behind a strong defensive effort and closed the gap to 3 before halftime.
Coming off the break, there was no letdown in both teams. Stingrays Riley Roberto powered much of the stingray offense. In the final minutes, Motion’s guards capitalized on a defensive rule, to help them eke out the win and head to the championship.

36 teams from six countries

The three-day tournament featured 36 teams from six different countries. It was an opportunity for athletes from Guam to elevate their game and represent the island on and off the court. The tournament featured nightly trips for an introduction to Korean cuisine. Other teams also took advantage of historical tours of Korea.

For Ada, a senior guard from Academy of Our Lady of Guam, the Korea trip was a great exposure to different styles of basketball, allowing them the opportunity to adapt depending on the team.

“The environment of the tournament was able to bring out a competitive nature in our team,” she said, “Going into it not knowing anyone and going up against different countries gave a lot of new looks to our team. This challenged our ability to adapt and overcome.”

Another member of the U16 squad, Teia Ada-Vibar, a junior guard from St John’s, said the experience in Korea was wonderful.

“The culture was very welcoming and nurturing — special thanks to Playground Seoul,” she said.
But she agreed with Ada on the basketball aspect of the trip. “On the basketball side, the energy around pushed me to play harder and test my limits, whether it was from the Stringray players and parents or from the other teams who came to compete,” she said. “Playing in such a different environment taught me to adapt quickly, on and off the court.”

She added that trip deepened her appreciation for teamwork and her understanding of the importance of embracing challenges.

Simon Sanchez freshman Aya Fejeran, a member of the U14 team who hopes to suit up for the Sharks during the season, said playing in Korea was different from home and highlighted ways she can improve and hopefully be an asset to her future Sharks squad.

“Games in Korea were way more fast paced in comparison to matches here on Guam. At first, it was a bit challenging to adapt to, but eventually it became easier as the games went on,” she said. “It was definitely a good learning experience that helped me strengthen my stamina and mental game.”

On the basketball end, it was a growing experience, but they all said they had a bigger responsibility to represent Guam well and showcase the islands positively to everyone they met.

“Our opponents were always respectful. I think that it was our team’s role to represent the island, not only for basketball, but also our sportsmanship and island’s respectful cultured,” Maddy Ada said.

U14 Roster
Madison Atoigue
Emily Duenas
Aya Fejeran
Mackenzie Flores
Madison Flores
Kiera Franco
Kina Jose
Matilde Matsumiya
Riley Roberto
Winona Valencia

U16 roster
Madeleine Ada
Teia Ada-Vibar
Jillian De Castro
Kenadie Paulino
Suri Sanchez
Zoe Shinohara
Eva Starr
Anaiah Taylor
Maya Torre

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