Lady Knights claim fourth straight title

A Mt. Carmel School player is up against three Saipan International School defenders during their title match in the COPSSA girls caging last Friday at the MCS Gymnasium. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Mt. Carmel School’s Lady Knights extended their reign in the high school division of the Coalition of Private School Sports Association Basketball League after ruling the 2015-2016 season of the competition.

Mt. Carmel routed Saipan International School, 50-26, in last Friday’s finals at the MCS Gymnasium for the Lady Knights’ fourth consecutive championship in the division and third straight against the Lady Geckos. MCS whipped SIS in the 2014 finale, 57-7, and had a repeat last year, 45-21. The Lady Knights started the string of championships in 2013 when they dominated Grace Christian Academy, 48-27.

Jan Travilla and Jennifer Villagomez kept the streak as they combined for more than half of Mt. Carmel’s output in the finals and even outgunned the entire SIS crew. Travilla led all scorers with her 16 points, while Villagomez chipped in 11 markers.

Karleen Reyes, Joanie Paraiso, Janika Taimanao, Quina Flores, Louisa Han, Han Ya, Cho Hyo Lim, and Quincy Chinen were the MCS players who hit the board in the finals. Also included on the team’s roster were Yuri Fukushi, Karen Sato, and Ellie Lee, while Catherine Attao-Toves coached the champion squad.

The Lady Knight managed to take the title and posted a double-digit winning margin despite of the Lady Geckos’ good start. SIS caught Mt. Carmel off guard in the opening canto, leading at 14-11. Kerri Callahan gave the Lady Geckos the upper hand after dropping 6 of her team-high 11 points in the first period. Kai Tamn added 4 markers, while Minami Sakai and Gillian Villagomez chipped in 2 apiece.

However, SIS could not keep its momentum in the last three quarters, while MCS began hitting its target to grab the lead en route to the 24-point win.

The Lady Knights took the driver’s seat early in the second canto after scoring 8 points and holding the Lady Geckos to a hair off Villagomez’s split charity, 19-15. Mt. Carmel then widened the gap in the third after it knocked in four triples, two coming from Travilla. The Lady Knights incoming senior scored 10 points in the third, lifting her team to a 39-22 advantage.

SIS never recovered from thereon, as it continued to struggle on offense in the fourth, making only two field goals and 4 points.

MCS 50 – Travilla 16, Villagomez 11, Reyes 7, Paraiso 4, Taimanao 4, Flores 3, Han 2, Cho 1, Ya 1, Chinen 1.

SIS 26 – Callahan 11, Villagomez 5, Tamn 6, Sakai 2, Calvert 2.

Scoring by quarters: 11-14, 19-15, 39-22, 50-26.