The thirst for victory and a firm stance to defend the title made the championship game between KES and SWR rage during the one-day Public School System Interscholastic Basketball Competition last Saturday at the Marianas High School.
KES’ point guard Keoni Kaipat and center Koby Kaipat were aiming at a perfect low post game without any difficulties but this did not exactly happen as WSR’s Limes and Gilles gave them too much hard time.
However, the KES young cagers really knew how to use their height advantage. Despite Limes’ witty defense and Gilles’ penetrating power in the offense that brought out a neck-to-neck game, the two towering players of KES struggled to ensure they dominate the in the inside.
And it worked.
In the second half of the game, KES’ big boys kept shadowing WSR’s fast and furious to clamp on their offense. Limes tried keep their own defense tight outside perimeter but this just earned him body pains.
Koby scored most of the points. He worked hard in the defense. Keoni controlled the offense with LJ George and Scott Saketson always visible at his both sides giving KES a lot of options in the offense to beat WSR, 15-12.
“We used the height advantage and focused more on defense,” KES coach Francis Mendiola said after the game.
WSR tried to match KES by bringing in its bigger boys, but ended up giving Limes and Gilles the scoring tasks.
Koby kept his scoring surge in the last minute to maintain the lead and win the ball game.
