MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Matthew C. Perry High School boys' and girls' basketball teams were met with tough opposition in their first home games of the season, Saturday.
The girls' match-up with E. J. King High School's squad was, "a real barn burner," according to Robert Funk, girls' basketball coach and Samurai athletics director.
The Lady Samurai started the game strong scoring 19 points before half-time and leaving their opponents trailing by ten. After the half, E. J. King came back strong, Funk said. Yudia Johnson, scoring a team high of 13 points, led E. J. King on a 20- point comeback. With less than a minute on the clock, the score was tied 29-29. M. C. Perry's Sharee Bryan came through for the Samurai by nailing a three-pointer with 13 seconds on the clock to win the game, Funk said.
"I always encourage them to play hard," Funk said. "If they do that, good things will happen."
Following the girls' victory, the Samurai varsity boys' team laced up their basketball shoes to face off with Zama American High School. The game, played at the IronWorks Gym, drew a large crowd of supporters for the Samurai.
Zama American's quickness and ability to make needed turnovers, sent them ahead of the young Samurai team early in the game. Despite the frustration of being down, the Samurai players gave it their all using the fundamentals of basketball, according to Eugene Clark, Samurai head coach. The Samurai's sharp passes threw Zama off-tempo at many times throughout the game. However, M.C. Perry's shooting difficulties left them trailing 30-15 at half time.
Zama American High School, which averages about 200 more students than M.C. Perry, had the height advantage on the Samurai squad. This year's varsity team is very young with only three remaining seniors, Clark said.
"They're getting a lot of rebounds," said Samurai co-captain, Damian Bryan. "We just need to slow it down offensively."
After half time, Zama's Corey Stacy continued to stack up the points against the Samurai. Stacy led his team with 24 points and was the only player of the game to attempt to dunk the basketball. It was in vain, however, as Stacy's two attempts were flung from the rim causing an uproar with Samurai fans. The crowd's enthusiasm