The varsity high school boys’ basketball team traveled to Saint Johnsbury Academy Jeju (SJAJ) for the Korean International Schools Activities Conference (KISAC) tournament on Feb. 5-7. Despite the back-to-back loss against the DMHS Warriors, the Jets locked in with a new mindset for their first tourney of the season.
For the opener, they battled against the Fayston Preparatory of Suji (FPS) Eagles, a strong opponent in the league. Although they pushed strongly offensively from the start, defensive blunders allowed the Eagles to take the lead. Inefficient ball movement also led to turnovers in their attack, as the scores doubled at the end of the first half (11:22).
After a quick halftime rest, the squad charged back into the court, ready to get physical. Despite their effort, FPS also stepped up their game, further widening the gap (21:45).
In addition to the loss, senior Chris Ryu (7) suffered a mild headache and headed back to the team’s lodging. The absence of one of the key players emerged as a muddle for the team. “I had a migraine after the FPS game and I couldn’t see the front, so I just went back to the hotel and rested well. But Evan and Justin played really well so we were able to win the NLCS game, so we won two out of three games without me,” Ryu (7) said.
Quickly bouncing back from their defeat, they faced a fellow mainland competitor, the Busan Foreign School (BFS) Sharks. Shooting guard Evan Rossmeisl (2) poured three-pointers, as freshman center Charlie Park (23) snagged rebounds through box-outs. They extended their lead, showcasing swift ball movements and solid help-side defense. By the final quarter, the Sharks saw their hopes fade (34:49).
“I didn’t have much playing time, but the game against BFS really boosted our confidence as a team. It was also good to play against BFS once before the SKAIS tournament, so that we get a hang of how SKAIS will look like,” said small forward Noah Hwang (21).
Another senior, Brandon Hyun (11), was sidelined due to leg cramps, leaving the team with both senior starters gone. “Although I was injured, I believed in my teammates and I knew they could carry on and win the BFS game,” Hyun said (11).
To wrap up day one, varsity clashed against the North London Collegiate School (NLCS) Orcas, last year’s third place finisher against the Jets. As the whistle blew, both teams engaged with physicality to earn possession. While the boys showed clear improvements from previous matches, NLCS held firm, maintaining a slim lead until the fourth quarter.
However, the last five minutes flipped the script. Rossmeisl sank three clutch three-pointers with a total of 14 points in quarter four. As Rossmeisl (2) went on a run, the Orcas strategically fouled to limit the Jets’ possessions until the final whistle (51:47).
“It was one of the best games I’ve ever played in my life. I dropped 30 something points that whole game, and that last quarter, I was onto something. Everyone put in their maximum effort, and it wrapped up day one on a positive note,” said Rossmeisl (2).
Wrapping up day one with two wins and one loss in the round robin, they rested for the upcoming battles on the second day.
Entering day two, they faced off the defending champions, the SJAJ Hilltoppers. The recovery of the two seniors recovered from their injury, allowing a 25-0 run for the Hilltoppers. The remaining quarters transitioned into garbage time, giving bench members opportunities to compete.
Rebounding from a lopsided loss, DIS squared off against the Korea International School Jeju (KISJ) Dragons for the last round robin game. The Dragons demonstrated precision in their shot-selections, breaking through the Jets’ defense (41:23).
Just like the KISAC volleyball tournament, no semi finals took place, as the teams battled based on their results in the round robin. Jets rematched the FPS Eagles for bronze.
FPS ramped up their intensity from the first quarter, taking a lead early in the game (11:2). The Jets closed the gap in quarter two (15:12) through point guard Justin Son (25)’s drive to the basket. Despite their efforts, the remaining second half prevailed FPS’s offense, as the Jets missed the mark and lost 53:31.
At the same time, junior varsity (JV), alongside three other teams, battled it out at FPS with Substitute Coach Bergan. After a tough day one marked by consecutive losses, the team sought redemption on day two. However, they took a close loss against NLCS in the bronze medal match (38-40), securing a last place finish.
The three-day tournament did not unfold as planned, but it served as a learning experience. Hampered by recurring injuries, they plan on improving their physicality and conditioning to compete for wins. For the upcoming SKAIS (South Korea Associations of International Schools) tourney at BFS on Feb. 24., the boys aim to apply key takeaways from KISAC into their games.
