Taipei American School (TAS) has finally hosted its first sports Interscholastic Association of Southeast Asian Schools (IASAS) tournament, the IASAS Basketball Championships. The tournament lasted from Feb. 1 to 3, with athletes from Singapore American School (SAS), International School of Bangkok (ISB), International School of Manila (ISM), International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL) and Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS) arriving in Taipei on Feb. 1.

The tournament kicked off with intense games between each team during the first two days, ending with the championship games on Saturday.

The boys team, led by captain Aiden C. (‘24), placed second, losing in their final match against ISM.

The girls team, led by captains Sarah Y. (‘24) and Ella J. (‘24), placed first in a close match against SAS. They were able to keep the gold they had earned last year at ISM. Celia R. (‘25) broke the tie, scoring the final basket, making the score 30-32 in the last 10 seconds of the game. “It felt surreal to win in the championship game especially since the score was so close,” Sarah said.

Behind the scenes, the athletics department, film department and the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) worked tirelessly to ensure the athletes had an enjoyable IASAS experience.

Over the course of the three-day tournament, the PTA offered different food options for everyone. “From the PTA’s side, we have asked all the basketball parents to help bring in food for all the visiting families and athletes,” Ms. Katherine Chou, a parent booster of the PTA, said. Athletes also had the option of cafeteria food, the Tiger Grill, food trucks and bento boxes.

To enhance the spectator experience and to get more students involved, Mr. Toby Openshaw, the video production specialist, offered students across Upper School the opportunity to assist the film department with live-streaming games in both the Derryl Franz Middle School Gymnasium (MSG) and Upper School Joie Gymnasium (USG). Prior to the tournament, student volunteers underwent practice sessions after school where they learned to manage video cutting and camera work to familiarize themselves with the technology. “It was really fun, especially learning how to use the camera and computer equipment,” Emma W. (‘26), one of the volunteers, said.

Bringing in and uniting the TAS community was a big goal during the IASAS tournament. Throughout the three days, the lower school, middle school and upper school communities flocked to the gyms in support of the basketball teams. A particularly wholesome act came from the lower school students who created many posters and banners to cheer for the TAS teams. However, their enthusiasm extended beyond just TAS. When TAS teams were not on the court, the lower school students cheered for other IASAS schools. “We want the community involved,” Coach Kawamoto, the athletic director, said. “Hopefully we have passion, not just for our games, but for all the teams.”

“I feel like the pinnacle of the IASAS experience is making friendships that exist beyond your school,” Alexa L. (‘24), a basketball player from SAS, said. “The support that all the teams received from the TAS community made my IASAS experience so much better.”

The enthusiasm of the tournaments was further amplified by the spirited presence of parents. Along with the PTA, they distributed cheering props such as fans and drums, leading to spirited chants and cheers in the stands. Their spirited contributions not only uplifted the morale of the players but also added an extra dimension of joy and excitement to the tournament experience. “I felt that being at TAS, in front of a crowd, really gave everyone the confidence they needed to play their hardest,” Sarah said. “I loved hearing all the drums the parents brought to the game because it really hyped everyone up.”

The performing arts community was also asked to participate in the IASAS tournament to ensure athletes had a unique experience. At the opening ceremony, Opus, the selective upper school choir, sang both the American and Taiwanese National Anthems to welcome the athletes to Taiwan, as per IASAS tradition. During the championship games on Saturday, Middle School and Upper School dancers performed during the halftime of the games. The Middle School dance group performed at the boys championship game while the Upper School dancers were invited to perform for the girls game. “We thought of doing something to promote spirit,” Ms. Cheryl Lagerquist, the upper school dance teacher, said.

Within the three eventful days, from the dedicated efforts of various departments to the enthusiastic support of students, parents and to the hardworking players, the IASAS basketball tournament exemplified unity and spirit.