Tournaments serve as tests for wrestling, basketball teams

They finished fourth, losing four times in the Kanto Classic last January. But coach Daisy Whitaker-Hayes called the three-day tournament at American School In Japan a “pivotal point” in Zama’s bid for its first DODEA-Japan and Far East Division II Tournament titles.

“The girls realized what it meant to compete, give your all and leave it all on the court,” said Whitaker-Hayes on Wednesday, a day before the start of the 4th Kanto Classic at ASIJ’s Chofu campus in Tokyo’s western suburbs.

She cited Zama’s two games against St. Paul Christian of Guam. In pool play, the Trojans took one on the chin 53-35, but came back strong two days later in elimination play, falling 43-41 after leading 14-1 at one point in the first quarter.

“They were extremely disappointed” with their first game against St. Paul, Whitaker-Hayes said. “The second time … it was a completely different game. They learned what it meant to play good defense and what it means to be confident in themselves and their abilities."

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