Game Report - Bad Boyz

By: Cindy Kojaku

June 29, 2008

Bad Boyz Tournament
June 28 - 29, 2008

Our 6th Grade Bad Boyz Team:

Jake Watanabe, Nikko Nihipali, Joshua Rodriguez, Andrew Taira, Matt Sinsioco, Brandon Kojaku, Cameron Kojaku, and Michael Candido (our lone 5th grader).

Saturday, June 28, 2008

San Pedro Knights v. Southeast Warriors, Lost by 3 points.

We could say, 'Southeast Warriors again?'....and we did....and so did they...but you know what? Put Southwest Warriors and San Pedro Knights on a court, and you're guaranteed a good game! This weekend was the same, with the Warriors taking the win...that being the only loss our 6th Grade Team had this weekend!

Joshua Rodriguez effectively slowed down one of the best 3-point shooters of the Southeast Warrior team, and the rest of our team picked up the others, but the Southeast Warriors are a strong, quick team, and we just didn't do enough to pull the win.

San Pedro Knights v. Torrance Warriors, WON by 27 points!

Our boys played strong, practicing the skills taught to them by Coach Bob Uchida at the many, many clinics and practices these boys attend. To get the team going, Cameron Kojaku attempted a behind-the-back pass which was a tad to late, hitting a Torrance Warrior in the back. One second quicker, and it would have been a successful pass. A learning experience, for sure. Also wanting to inspire, was Matt Sinsioco executing a beautiful behind-the-back pass to Brandon Kojaku who completed the lay up! Great execution, Matt and Brandon. Nothing more beautiful than solid, team play!

Sunday, June 29, 2008

San Pedro Knights v. La Mirada Bruins, WON by 3 points!

A most....'unusual' game, to say the least. A total of 33 fouls in the 1st half alone, with approximately only 7 fouls committed by the Knights. A game that was physical and rough, with an opposing coach demanding still more aggressiveness! The Knights played their game, stayed strong, outplaying the competition! The game stayed close, with the Knights missing a lot of their free throws.

The free throws that mattered the most came from Nikko Nihipali making 2 clutch free throws, keeping the Knights ahead and giving us the 3 point win! Michael Candido assisted with a couple
of baskets and assisting with some needed rebounds. What a wonder to watch our 5th grader, Michael, pull a rebound over a taller 6th grader! Michael's teammate, Cameron, thought that was a great thing to see!

Also a wonderous sight to see was Jake Watanabe sinking a 3-pointer, dribbling the whole length of the court, and blocking a big guy's shot to the basket without jumping! All of these feats wrapped up in one game! Great job, Jake!

San Pedro Knights v. Montebello Flights, WON by 25+ points!

A good game, nice team, nice players, nice coaches. Montebello Flight never giving up, and playing with the heart our boys have. Our boys were on, our boys scored, everybody did well.

San Pedro Knights v. KOC (Kings of Courts), WON by 1 point...in overtime!

A tough, tough team, those KOC's! Man for man, taller than our boys and all great players. Except for a beginning 4-3 lead, our team was behind the whole game, but keeping it within 5 points, never giving in to the score, never giving in period! Anyone watching this game got their money's worth! Cameron Kojaku hitting 4....count them FOUR 3-point shots in the game to help with the win!

With Coach Brad yelling, 'Foul!,' and with nobody able to reach the opponent dribbling towards the basket, Andrew Taira sacrificed for the team fouling the guy and taking a big hit, landing Andrew on the floor, sending the opponent to the free throw for a 1 and 1, strategically helping the team as the shooter didn't make any of the baskets!

Down by 2 points with 3.5 seconds left on the clock, the San Pedro Knights faced an uphill battle to win the game. With 3.5 seconds left, Jake Watanabe successfully inbounded the ball to Brandon Kojaku, and with the seconds ticking off, Brandon dribbled from one end of the court to the other, putting up a 3-point shot to the basket with .5 seconds left on the clock! The ball went up, hit the basket, bobbled around a bit, then dropped straight into the basket, giving the San Pedro Knights the win!! An unbelievable and incredible moment in our game history!!! The crowd went wild! The players went wild! Everyone went wild, including Brandon Kojaku's mom (me!), proudly wearing my 'Knights Mom' shirt with #1 on one sleeve and #51 on the other. I was one proud mamma in those stands today, jumping so high from all the plyometrics I watch my children do! And to think I was jumping that high from believing we TIED the game! I jumped all over again when Linda Baratti informed me that WE WON!

What a moment when all the team, including many of the younger Knights, converged on Brandon, for congratulations and with happiness over the hard-fought win! So much emotion from one game! So much support from our Knights family! Who could have asked for a more satisfying and glorious last game of the tournament!!!!

What a game, boys!!!! Brandon, Cameron, Jake W., Matt, Andrew, Nikko, Michael and Joshua (MIA due to illness).

You boys ROCKED this weekend! There's no other way to describe it!

Joshua Rodriguez fell ill after the 1st game, and the team sure missed his defensive play and shooting! Get well, Joshua!

With a 4-1 win record, I'd say our boys were winners this tournament, with our team taking yet another SILVER Division Championship!

Great job, Brad! You coached one heck of a tournament this weekend! Last weekend, too! It's a great coach who can take a handful of boys and get them to do what they've been doing on the courts!

Great job, boys! You played 5 games, with a 4-1 record this weekend! You boys played clean, you boys played hard, you boys played tough, and you played with the heart and soul we've all come to love!!!!

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