Photo By Lance Cpl. Kasey Peacock | Kadena Panthers boys basketball team member Preston Harris shoots over Kazuta Hiyane...... read more read more
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CAMP FOSTER, Japan - It was a day of sportsmanship, struggle and triumph as the 6th annual Okinawan-American Shootout concluded on Camp Foster Jan. 22. Friendship through sport was the tournament theme, as boys and girls high school basketball teams across Okinawa battled against each other until a winner was crowned.
“International games like these are good learning experiences for our players,” said Kimio Inoue, the coach of the Konan High School boys basketball team. “American players have height and spring, which gives our players good competition.”
Day-one of the shootout began with round-robin play, as 12 teams engaged their peers to determine what the championship bracket would look like the following day. Before the first whistle blew and the games began, an opening ceremony was conducted in which Raymond F. Greene, the U.S. Consul General in Naha, and Matsuteru Waniya, the chairman of the Okinawa Basketball Association, spoke to the players about the importance of sportsmanship during the competition.
“Sports and athletics provide an understanding and a mutual respect for the kids,” said Fred Bales, the tournament director and a teacher at Kubasaki High School. “As they play and spend the weekend together, they develop an understanding for how one another operates, not just in basketball, but in life.”
The boys and girls divisions consisted of two Department of Defense Education Activity high schools, the Kadena Panthers and Kubasaki Dragons, and four Okinawa high schools. The Okinawa schools in the boys division were Konan, Kitanakagusuku, Oruku and Chatan. The Okinawa schools in the girls division were Kitanakagusuku, Naha Shogyo, Chatan and Haebaru.
“I was impressed by the loud cheers from the audience and think the interaction between the U.S. and Okinawa is good,” said Mayumi Vema, mother of Reo Vema, 16, a player for Kitanakagusuku High School. “I want this event to be bigger.”
While each team fought gallantly to claim ultimate glory during the tournament, it was Kadena High School that ended up on top with both of its teams in each division winning their championship games.
“We beat the Kadena Panthers in the round-robin play, so I liked our chances in the championship game,” said Taishi China, team captain for Konan High School, whose team placed as the boys division runner-up. “The American players did better than us at rebounding and taking the ball to the hoop that game.”
The tournament concluded with a closing ceremony where each team was presented with a plaque, and key players received personal achievement trophies for their play in the tournament.
First, second and third-place teams from each division were also presented with trophies as they celebrated their conquests and new friendships.
| Date Taken: | 01.27.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 01.26.2012 19:32 |
| Story ID: | 82892 |
| Location: | CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 139 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, American, Okinawan students play ball in name of friendship, by LCpl Kasey Peacock, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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