The YImpact 18U girls team swept the competition, dominating for a back to back title against the Saigon Phoenix at the Asia Pacific Youth Championships in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam this past weekend.
Led by a commanding performance on the boards by Zoë Whitehead and guided by the leadership of Kenadie Paulino, the YImpact team dropped the competition by double digits every game. Armed with a 15-man roster, the YImpact team was spectacular on both ends of the floor en route to a 4-0 tournament run and their second title in two years at the tournament.
YImpact’s Jimmy Yi said the goal is to continue to represent Guam well at international tournaments and provide experiences athletes wouldn’t normally have if they stayed home to compete.
“Kids learned about the game and played better throughout the tournament. They had to pick things up on the fly and be able to play together since we didn’t have much practice prior to trip” he said, emphasizing it was all about the “Learning experiences!”
In the boys competition, the YImpact boys led by James Taga edged past Seventy7 Elite 55-52 to gain a bronze finish at the tournament to finish 2-2 overall. Taga capped his Vietnam debut with all-tournament honors.
Yi credited the overall team for the 3rd place finish, specifically citing Alex Acierto’s growth over the course of the competition.
“(He) hit some big time shots and played great defense – lots of growth!,” Yi said.
Overall, the tournament was a success, Yi said, emphasizing the growth and experiences for all athletes.
“It was really fun and a good experience,” said Victoria Bersamin, a graduate of Notre Dame competing in her final youth tournament. “The competition was pretty good and we came together as a team and overcame every challenge that came our way.”
For Taga, the tournament “was a great experience. It was exciting to compete against different teams and different team styles.”
He thanked his teammates and coaches for bringing out the best in him.
