Whispering Palms wins JV title

  No more bridesmaid finish for Whispering Palms this time.

After placing second to Saipan International School last season, 19-24, Whispering Palms came out on top of the girls junior varsity division 2011-2012 Coalition of Private Schools Sports Association Basketball League after slipping past Grace Christian Academy in the finals, 16-15, last Friday at the Gillette Multipurpose Gymnasium.

Jennifer Tan, Maile Aldrich, Negahr Rastguiy, and Gabrielle Race provided the needed offense for Whispering Palms and the rest of the team played tough defense in the last three minutes of the fourth quarter to eke out a close win in the winner-take-all finals. Completing Whispering Palms’ roster were Su Ah Cho, Gillian Villagomez, Melanie Choe, Rachel Kwon, Natalie Hardt, Caitlin Tinney, and Olivia Hirsh. Mark Epley is the team’s coach.

After Aldrich’s basket gave the Terns the lead, 16-15, Whispering Palms hung in there, foiling the Lady Eagles’ repeated attempts to score. GCA had about four chances to buy a basket, but was frustrated in the closing minutes.

“We were the smallest team in the league, but we were also the best in terms of teamwork. We pass a lot and hustle for defense. Big things come from small packages,” said Race, who had Whispering Palms’ only field goal in the first quarter.

GCA also scored one basket in the opening period off Danica Canedo’s triple and the game was even, 3-3, after the first eight minutes of play, as besides Race’s two-pointer Whispering Palms drew one charity from Aldrich.

Then in the second period, Canedo added another three and one two-pointer, while Kimiko Tenorio also lit up the scoreboard, as GCA outgunned Whispering Palms, 7-5, to take a 10-8 halftime lead. Rastguiy, who was eventually named MVP, also canned a triple in the second period, while Tan gave Whispering Palms its fifth point off a basket underneath.

In the third canto, both teams struggled offensively with the Lady Eagles making only one field goal off Tenorio’s basket and missing four free throws. Aldrich and Tan had two points apiece for Whispering Palms and the game was back to square one after the third frame, 12-12.

Both teams continued to have lackluster offense in the fourth. Whispering Palms got only one field goal in the early minutes, courtesy of Tan, and GCA drew two points from Mulan Ta and a split free throw from Tenorio to take a slim 15-14 lead before Aldrich came to the rescue and stole the driver’s seat.

Aldrich and company earned a return trip to the finals after beating Saipan Community School in the semis, while GCA advanced following a 19-17 win over Mt. Carmel School.

Whispering Palms 16 – Tan 6, Aldrich 5, Rastguiy 3, Race 2.

GCA 15 – Canedo 8, Tenorio 5, Ta 2.

Scoring by quarters: 3-3, 8-10, 12-12, 16-15.