Meet the Team!

After a series of grueling try-outs we are happy to present this year's varsity girls basketball team. The team is comprised of the following players:

• #4 Laurel Smith (Junior)
• #5 Kat Hyslop (Freshman)
  
• #6 Shoko Hirata (Junior)
  
• #7 Yuri Otsuka (Freshman)
  
• #8 Megan Mak (Junior)
• #9 Aleena Qureshi (Freshman)
  
• #10 Yoon Hei Cho (Senior)
  
• #11 Laruen McMillan (Senior captain)
  
• #12 Casey Broussard (Junior)
  
• #13 Taylor Pewitt (Senior captain)
• #14 Cassie Deverall (Junior)
• #15 Asha Deverall (Senior)
  

New Year, New Season, New Hopes!

It seems like the off-season was never ending. Bits of two-on-two games. Some people shooting as part of the shot club. Some new student-athletes walking on the courts for tryouts. All in all it was a normal off-season. But then, on the first day of tryouts the faces came back, the girls came out and ran, and ran and ran some more. Oh, there were a few layups in there too, some boxing out, and some passing interspersed with a bit of shooting, but basically they ran. In the end, a new ISKL Panthers team emerged and they are about to embark on their 2009-2010 journey together. Final destination: IASAS 2010, hosted right here at ISKL!

Tonight is game 1 against a local community rival, MSA.Game time is slated for 8:30 pm in the Ampang gym. Go Panthers!

Shot Club Starts Up

As is customary during the off-season, the girls at ISKL have the option of participating voluntarily in the Girls Shot Club. A self-directed program it allows the girls on the team, and off the team, to participate in shots throughout the offseason.

For those who succeed in taking at least 5,000 shots between now and October 1st, their name will be added to the plaque in the Ampang Gymnasium and they will receive a Shot Club t-shirt, available to only an exclusive group of female athletes at ISKL.

For shot club tally sheets, please see Mr. Myers in the HS PE Office.

Shoot up a storm!

Award Recipients for 2009

The 2nd season awards night came and passed and it is our pleasure to announce this year's award winners:

IASAS All-Tournament Selection

• Mora Grehl
  

Coaches Awards:

• Larissa Kuscher
• Mora Grehl

MVP Award

• Taylor Pewitt

Congratulations to all three girls for a great season!!

IASAS a bag of mixed emotions

The IASAS Tournament came and went, with the girls putting up a solid effort on the floor. Before the tournament the coaches had asked that the girls have "no regrets" when it was all said and done. If it's possible for a team to have no regrets, but also no wins, this is the one. The girls played their hearts out but, in the end, lacked the depth and size to pull out a win. Several games were very close either at half time or closer to the end of the game. The game against JIS was one such game, with the girls pulling to within a basket with 4 minutes left. At just that moment Yoon Hei sprained her ankle, and a minute later Taylor fouled out and the dream was over. By the last game the team was filled with bruises, scrapes, twists and bangs, but they kept on working as hard as they could.

Though the season ended in disappointing fashion in terms of scores, it could not have ended better in terms of the pure effort put on the floor. The girls showed great promise for next year and many opposing coaches mentioned the tenacity and grit of this team as a resounding success for their efforts.

When all is said and done, this team will be remembered for the strength of its character, for the determination it showed despite lack of experience and size, and for the fact that it returned from Taipei with no regrets whatsoever. It was a great season!

Looking Forward to IASAS

The Lady Panthers are playing solid basketball these days, and gaining experience with each hard-fought game. Following thier final home stand versus Mont Kiara (a 38-34 heartbreaking loss to a tall MKIS team) they set their sights on the IASAS Tournament in Taipei. The Lady Panthers will be looking to better their sixth place finish from last year and are optimistic for their performance. Peaking at the right time they look like a solid team filled with potential.

The IASAS schedule includes clashes with the following opponents:

Thursday, February 5th

• 8:30 am versus Singapore American School
• 4:15 pm versus Manila International School
  

Friday, February 6th

• 11:30 am versus Taipei American School
• 4:15 pm versus Jakarta International School

Saturday, February 7th

• 8:00 am versus International School of Bangkok
• 2:30 pm: Consolation Final (for 3rd place)
• 4:30 pm: Final

For those wanting to follow the games during the tournament, feel free to visit http://www.iasas.org.

Lady Panthers Start Strong in 2009

The Lady Panthers started the new year with two close wins, but playing their best basketball yet. As the season winds down to the wire (three weeks to IASAS) the team seems to be peaking at the right time.

Wednesday saw the Lady Panthers beat Wong Teeng 48-44 after a hard-fought game. Among the highlights of the game was the season's best personal play by Yuna Chong who scored 5 points in as many minutes of play. Apart from that, however, the Lady Panthers showed poise and balance on offense and dealt well with an older opponent. The game was a close one throughout, but the Panthers were able to win after putting together a series of good passing sequences on offense.

Saturday's game against the University of Malaysia saw the Lady Panthers start head-to-head, exchanging baskets during a slow first quarter which also saw junior capatin Taylor Pewitt with three fouls on the very last play of the quarter. Despite playing without Taylor for the second quarter, the Lady Panthers were able to put a good deal of pressure on UM and were able to score 12 unanswered points, almost in succession. The press worked beautifully against the UM guards who were unable to deal with the mounting pressure.

The third quarter found UM fighting back and scoring the first 12 points to tie things up at 23-23. The Lady Panthers, who seemed overwhelmed at the start of the second half, slowly worked their way back into the game and kept working on their transition game. A good mix of full and half court presses was able to make the difference as the Lady Panthers used their defense to set the pace for the rest of the game.

Mora Grehl and Lauren McMillan stood out as having played their best game of the season, supported largely by fine performances from Yoon Hei Cho and Larissa Kuscher, though everyone on the team played well. The final result was 39-31. These two back-to-back victories comprise the first 'steak' of the season for the Panthers, who look forward to another two games in the coming week.

Get to know the team... Deb

Deb is a tenth grader, full of energy and nothing but smiles. She is surely the life of the team and easily becomes the epicenter of joking, smiling and gesturing between games. On the court she plays the point guard or wing positions and is quite able, particularly in offensive transition.

Deb, in her first year at ISKL, has developed a good deal in her skills this season and continues to do so. She has a natural ability to get the ball in the basket even if at times her shots seem like variations of NBA moves. :-)

Off the basketball court Deb can be seen playing soccer during first season. Regardless of what she does, Deb can be counted on to have fun and smile a broad smile to anyone with who she comes into contact.

Get to know the team... Shoko

Shoko hails from Japan. A 10th grader new to ISKL Shoko has made an impact with her ability to be flexible and play a variety of positions. Her abilities are such that she can be considered from nearly all positions on the court, depending on the circumstances. She seems to have a natural athleticism and has a 'playground' approach to scrappy play that makes her a good asset for this team.

Shoko's mere presence on the team is a success as she was originally cut during try-outs. After just half an hour, however, she was called back and she has been with us ever since! She normally plays the wing or post position, but is also adept at outside shooting and dribbling.

We look forward to seeing her in action in Taipei is just three weeks. :-)

Get to know the team... Casey

Casey Broussard is in her first year on the team, and is arguably the least experience player on the team. Playing in the post position, Casey has made great strides this year in learning the plays, getting playing time on the court and gaining more experience with situational work.

Casey's attitude has been excellent throughout the season and, in the limited time that she sees on the court, she shows a good deal of motivation to play as hard as she can. The coaches are thrilled with her development throughout the season and look forward to continuing to work with her as the season winds down and in the years to come.

Get to know the team... Lauren

Lauren, in her junior year, has made the jump from the junior varsity program to the varsity. In many ways the team's success is dependent on her ability to play the low post defensively. and act as a last stand against opposing players. Lauren has impressed all the coaches in the transition from JV to varsity, particularly with her attitude and willingness to learn.

Lauren plays the post position and works largely with Taylor under the basket. Together they make a great baseline stand in hard-fought games. Lauren is steadily developing on the offensive side of things as well. She is improving in her ability to pivot and shoot or make her moves under the basket. As the team's tallest player Lauren has a good deal of pressure to work with, and has done so admirably.

Outside of basketball Lauren was the IASAS varsity soccer goalie last season. She impressed the IASAS world with her quickness and leadership at the foot of our defensive efforts.

Get to know the team... Mora

Mora Grehl came to ISKL last year from Taipei. An athlete with natural quickness and tenacity, she was a bonus just walking on the court in last year's try-outs. She works hard, runs without end, and loves to play defense. Inspiring to those who see her, she is a symbol of the aggressive defensive stands that we like our teams to exemplify.

Mora starts at the point guard position, though, on occasion she will play at the wing position as well. In addition, in trying times, when the team needs a player to defend a particularly difficult opponent, that lot usually is given to Mora. Through strength and speed Mora is able to deter even the best of opponents from trying to get to our basket. She is smart, a good listener and a hard worker able to make a big difference in games.

Mora also plays soccer for the varsity team and has been to four IASAS events in three sports already in her relatively young ISKL career as she is still a sophomore.

Get to know the team... Laurel

Laurel has been a true worker this year, as last. She arrived fresh and ready to play in her freshman year, overcoming all odds to make the varsity team. Though not a natural basketball player, Laurel is an able listener and a true student of the sport. Often on the bench she is seen asking the coaches for feedback on what other players are doing. On the bus to an away game she will sneak up to the front and talk to the coaches about plays and movement.

Laurel has grown from a rather timid ninth grader to a solid support player on the wing and low post positions. Though physically small for a post, she uses mental engagement to position herself among the giants quite well. Progressively she has moved up the roster to where she can now be seen with a good deal of playing time off the bench.

When not shooting baskets, Laurel can be seen running the lower field with the varsity soccer program in the first season.

Lady Panthers finish the weekend 2-2.

The Lady Panthers are exhausted, aching and (some) injured... just like the end of an exchange weekend should be. They are tired, but smiling contentedly from an overall performance which indicated that they have a good deal of potential to carry forward with them as they continue to work toward the upcoming IASAS tournament in February.  Things look promising indeed.

Following Friday's victory over JIS, the Lady Panthers lost a run-and-gun shootout against a Selangor Select team 67-55.  Later in the day the Panthers were able to overcome their cross-town rivals Mont Kiara International School in the first of many clashes of this season 49-32.  Both games featured presses on both sides of the floor and a good deal of fast breaks. The major difference was that the Panthers, who missed close to 15 lay ups in the morning game, came back to be nearly flawless from under the basket against Mont Kiara.

Sunday morning found them playing a rejuvenated Jakarta International School team that was looking for revenge for their loss from Friday night. This time JIS was too strong and did everything right. The Panthers, staying close for much of the first half (down by 8 at half time), were unable to deal with JIS's offensive weapons and size in the second half.  The final result was a 55-33 defeat to the Dragons to finish off a long and tiring, but highly rewarding weekend.

The Panthers will rest on Monday and Tuesday and recuperate physically and emotionally, and then return to practice on Wednesday in preparation for a Thursday game at Mont Kiara and a Saturday league game versus the Selangor B team. 

Panthers Beat Jakarta in a Thriller!

The Lady Panthers returned to the gym after a day off to face IASAS runner up Jakarta International School this evening. It was a nervous start for both teams as the JIS Dragons started the game without key starters. For the first quarter the game went basket for basket for each team with no one taking a commanding lead. Finally the Dragons jumped out to a five point lead early in the second quarter.

The Lady Panthers made necessary adjustments to their defensive formation, moving to a 2-3 zone defense and putting on a 3/4 court press in place of a more traditional 3-2 zone used at the outset. The results were much better as the Panthers caught up and, led by Yoon Hei Cho, made up the difference going into half time.

The second half saw a continuation of the hard-nosed play from both teams, with a good deal of ball movement. JIS attempted to take advantage of their size as they pushed the ball into the key, while the Panthers used their perimeter movement more successfully as the game wore on.  The dual approach of full court pressure and offensive plurality allowed the Lady Panthers to take a three point lead by the end of the third quarter. 

As the pressure mounted and both teams tried to get the upper hand, the fourth quarter quickly turned into a battle of will.  As the Panthers had a hard time dealing with the pressure in the key, they could not rely on their regular show of points from Taylor Pewitt. Instead, it was Larissa Kuscher who kept them going in the second half. Added to this were some clutch shots from Laurel Smith, Lauren McMillan and Mora Grehl to ice the game.

The Panthers led with 4 with just under 2 minutes remaining in the game and, as the seconds wound down, it was evident that this time they would not let the game slip away. They held on and dealt very well with the full court JIS pressure to finish off the game with a hard-earned 43-39 victory, their first IASAS level win in three years!

Selangor State a Good Learning Opportunity

Sometimes you have to play against teams that are much more experienced. Sometimes you need to use games as learning experiences and grow as the game progresses. This was just such a game.

The Selangor State team which will be playing in the Malaysian National Championships came into town tonight and outplayed the less experienced Lady Panthers at most levels. Taller, faster and more powerful the Selangor State team was simply overpowering for the Panthers. That being the case, the Panthers used the game as a learning opportunity and a chance to grow and deal with high pressure situations including full and half court presses and trapping.

The final score, a 60-32 loss, was probably an accurate reflection of the difference in experience between the two teams at this juncture of the season. We use it, however, as a chance to recognize the level of play we need to strive for, and to develop solid movement and communication both offensively and defensively.

The Lady Panthers hope this experience will come in handy as they look forward to the four games over the weekend. These should provide a better indication of our level of preparation against teams of our level and experience as we take on the Jakarta International School Friday and Sunday and Mont Kiara on Saturday.

Panthers Come Up Short in a thriller

Missing three players (Zarina, Shoko and Casey) and having to wait for an hour-long delay in game four the Lady Panthers were, none-the-less, intent on starting off strong against a tall Selangor A team.

For the first few minutes the Panthers seemed to be quite nervous as they turned the ball over on six of their first eight possessions. However, as the game progressed the Panthers were able to deal with the intense Selangor helf-court and full court pressure and put up some pressure of their own. The 3-2 defense worked quite well for them as the game went back and forth throughout.

The final quarter found the Panthers down by 5 with two minutes remaining. A frantic full-court pressure to finish off the game saw the Panthers come to within one with thirty seconds left to play, but they could not finish on top, losing in a heart breaker 37-34.

The Panthers were, once again, led by Taylor Pewitt with14 points, and Yoon Hei Cho added another 10 for good measure. The fourth quarter of the game was arguably the most intense defensive effort of the year and the Panthers showed that they can compete against anyone.

The coaches were content with the performance and particularly the defensive effort, even if the result was not ideal.

The Lady Panthers hit the floor again tonight at 6 pm, playing against another Selangor Team.

Lady Panthers come up Big in game three!

After two difficult losses to open the season and after a long break between games the Lady Panthers returned to the scene of their last defeat, the Cheras Community Recreation Center on Saturday.

Having been two weeks since their last game the Panthers were pumped up and ready to roll for this one. The past weeks were spent working on defensive adjustments and on playing with aggression and it became obvious from the tip-off that practice was about to pay off. A solid half-court press resulted in three early turnovers for the opposition as the Lady Panthers started strong and never looked back. Scoring 18 points in the first quarter was just a start and, though there were lulls in the offensive production, the Panthers were moving, passing, spacing themselves very well on offense. Defensively they played with poise, patience and a good deal of agression.

The result was largely due to a great performance by Mora Grehl, who led the team at point, Taylor Pewitt, who scored a career high 22 points and collected a good number of offensive boards as well, and Lauren McMillan whose improvement has been marked under the boards. resulting in a season-high eight points. Joined by Larissa Kushcer whose play was excellent on both ends of the floor and Yoon Hei Cho's eight points on offense, this was a great team effort. The performance of each and every player was far superior to earlier showings. Of particular note was the ease of offensive change-over when presented with different defensive 'looks' from the opposing team.

After a long-fought battle the Lady Panthers had managed their first win of the season and seem to be much more cohesive as a team on the court. The final score of 56-27 was a testament to the work the girls have put into their game in the past two weeks and a hopeful glimpse of their potential.

We look forward to an action-packed week of games next week, starting with a 7:30 pm game versus team Gary A. We hope to see a good number of parents, family and friends there to support our Panthers!!

Thursday Game rescheduled... Happy Thanksgiving!

Due to the significance of Thanksgiving Day for our US citizens, it was deemed appropriate to re-schedule the originally-planned Thursday night game to Wednesday at 6:00 pm. In lieu of a game, Thursday can now be appropriately spent celebrating all that we have to be thankful for. A very Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Game Schedule set for Next Week

After a long hiatus of game drought, suddenly the floodgates have opened and a deluge of games have been slated for next week. The schedule includes the first game versus Mont Kiara and two games versus our IASAS foe Jakarta International School. Given the number of games, it would be great to see many family members and friends there supporting your very own Lady Panthers!

Tuesday, November 25: Home vs Gary Team A @ 7:30 pm
Thursday, November 27: Home vs Gary Team B @ 7:30 pm
Friday, November 28: Home vs Jakarta International School @ 7:00 pm
Saturday, November 29: Home vs KL Select @ 10:30 am
Saturday, November 29: At Melawati vs Mont Kiara @ 2:30 pm
Sunday, November 30: Home vs Jakarta International School @ 9:30 am

Please note that all games are accurately noted as of November 22nd but sometimes there are changes made to the schedule due to unforeseen circumstances. Please check in with the Activities and Athletics Office to confirm.