St. John’s
By Pat Bigold
wallops Damien, 105-38
Star-Bulletin
Sometimes, there is reward in defeat.That's how Damien head coach Mel Cortez put into perspective his team's first-round encounter with the No. 6 prep basketball team in the nation, St. John's at Prospect Hall (Md.), in the Iolani Classic.
"It was an honor to play them and I just wish we could have done a better job," said Cortez, whose Monarchs took an unsurprising 105-38 pounding.
"When we first got the seedings and they said we're playing St. John's, my initial reaction was, 'Wow, why couldn't we open with somebody else.' But then I thought about it. How many other teams get to play St. John's?"
In fact, Cortez said the game amounted to an invaluable clinic.
"Our kids will never come across competition like this at the high school level. This was an experience of a lifetime and a couple of our young men said to me, 'Coach, this is something we'll never forget.' "
It was the 15th straight win for St. John's (5-0), dating back to last season, and the 501st prep career victory for head coach Stu Vetter.
Today's four-game classic schedule features an 8 p.m. contest between the nation's No. 14 team, St. Joseph's Notre Dame of Alameda, Calif., and Kaimuki.
The St. John's player who mesmerized opponents and spectators alike in last night's game was 6-foot-8 junior guard/forward Jason Capel, brother of Duke star Jeff Capel.
Capel, who was named the nation's top sophomore of 1995-96 by USA Today, scored 37 points while firing a sizzling 86 percent from the field, including three-for-three from behind the 3-point line. He also had seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.
In the first quarter, Capel had 19 points to stake St. John's to a commanding 24-10 lead.
"There were probably two ways to stop him and they're both illegal in the rules," Cortez laughed.
Capel wasn't the only star for St. John's. Sherrod Teasley, a 6-5 sophomore, had 10 assists and fourth-year starting point guard Shike Lee had nine assists. The team had a total of 31.
Capel transferred to St. John's this year from Chesapeake High (Va.), Alonzo Mourning's prep alma mater.
"We took advantage of our speed and quickness defensively, and our pressure created a lot of easy baskets early in the game," said Vetter, whose team will face Chubu Technical of Okinawa tomorrow at 8 p.m.
Kawika Chun and Cad Leong led Damien with seven points each.
The Warriors shot out to a 13-7 first-quarter lead with some sound fundamental basketball that left the Mighty Vikings cold. Miami Norland 50, Kamehameha 30
But junior Kyle Washington and senior Kendric Greene (bound for Florida A&M) each scored 16 points as Miami Norland rallied to turn the tables.
"Fundamentally, they play real well and we didn't play a lot of help-side defense in the first quarter so they beat us," said Vikings head coach Jeff Morford.
Masato Kuba scored 16 points to lead the Okinawans past the state champion Menehunes. Chubu Technical 55, Moanalua 50
Chubu rallied from a 12-7 first-quarter deficit.
Kenneth Kesaji (13 points) and Brian Rosado-Galindo (12) led Moanalua.
Elijah Neverdon scored 13 points and Darron Cambra had 11 to lead the Junior Rainbows' rout of the Red Raiders. University High 72, Kahuku 32
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