The Jets traveled to the International School of Busan (ISB) for the inaugural Southern Korean Association of International Schools (SKAIS) basketball tournament on March 1. Four varsity teams competed: DIS, ISB, Busan Foreign School (BFS), and Gyeongnam International Foreign School (GIFS). Even with veteran Colin Ji (number 0) sidelined due to an injury sustained at the (Korean International Schools Activities Conference) KISAC tourney, the Jets aimed to claim a back-to-back trophy.
In the first round, they battled the GIFS Tigers. Point guard Manny Cortez (number 24), shooting guard Evan Rossmeisl (number 2), small forward Ethan Rossmeisl (number 5), power forward Justin Son (number 25), and center Haydn Mangione (number 56) tipped off the tourney as the starting five.
Due to the Tigers’ inexperience, the match was shortened to six-minute quarters instead of the regular eight, with a non-stop clock, as agreed upon by the ISB athletic director and all the coaches. The starters dominated GIFS early in the game with a 20-0 lead. The bench saw playing time as they subbed in for the majority of the game which ended in a 44:3 blowout.
After a one hour rest, they encountered the BFS Sharks. While they kept the lead throughout, the Sharks stuck to their tail, sinking tough buckets to stay in the game.
However, once the Sharks’ heat cooled, the Jets extended their lead and topped them (44:34). “We all knew DIS was a strong team so we talked about our strategies when going against them. We prepared a lot physically and mentally. We had a lot of fun during the game and we were very focused. We did lose, but it was a very good game,” said Jun Park, Sharks varsity center.
As the round-robin matches neared completion, it became clear that the ISB Bears and the Jets would face off later in the finals. Despite their guaranteed future matchup, both teams opted to play the remaining round-robin game, but with shortened quarters and a non-stop clock. They strategically rested their starters and allowed the bench to take the spotlight.
The subs impressed with strong ball movement and solid defense as they kept it close against the Bears. “We got one extra game against ISB, so Mr. Kaschub let the second varsity team play. We got a lot of playing time. For KISAC and friendly matches, I didn’t get to play a lot because I wasn’t that good, so I was always sitting on the bench cheering a lot. But I got playing time during SKAIS, and it was a very valuable game for me,” said Brian Cho (number 10), a member of the Jets’ second unit. Ultimately, they fell 35:31 but preserved their energy for the championship battle.
The grand finale kicked off in no time. In the first quarter, both teams went head-to-head and the game flowed evenly through back-and-forth transitions. However, instantly in the second half, the Jets left the Bears in the dust with outside shots, extending the lead to nearly 20 points.
Players Evan Rossmeisl (number 2) and Brandon Hyun (number 11) stepped into Ji’s empty spot, and in near perfection, knocked down treballs and penetrated with intensity. ”In the beginning, I was a little nervous because the score was pretty tight in the first quarter. But then, going into the second half, we were up 15, so every single shot we made, I was really hyped. I think I performed pretty decently, I had a drive, a midrange, and a couple threes,” said shooting guard Evan Rossmeisl (number 2).
Although ISB made a brief run at the end, the gap stood too large to overcome, and the Jets shot down the Bears (57:44). “We felt good and confident and thought we were gonna win. In the beginning, we were all right, but DIS was hitting tough shots. We tried our best but didn’t do much,” said Anthony Yan, Bears’ top gun.
After celebrations of triumph, the varsity boys cemented their dominance at the home of the Bears with back-to-back SKAC and SKAIS titles. In addition to the glory of the trophy, Ethan Rossmeisl (number 5), YiManuel Cortez (number 24), and Haydn Mangione (number 56) earned all-tournament athlete awards. “I was really happy because it was my last tournament as a DIS player and to be able to finish my last season with an all-tournament badge with Ethan and Manny was a great feeling,” said Haydn Magione, Jets starting big.
Three years ago, the Jets finished second to last in SKAC. The shift from underdogs to top dogs, even without their veteran forward, proved their persistence. “We did win last year and it was a surreal feeling because the past years I’ve been on the team, it looked like a far-reaching goal, but last year it really came to us finally. And after the game last year, we kinda thought we would have SKIAS this year in the bag, so it was really good to know that we had the championship even without me,” said senior forward Colin Ji (number 0).
Their impressive season cemented a dynasty the team hopes to build on in years to come. Now high school boys shift their focus to soccer, with the first tournament in Jeju on April 17.
