Champions highlight turning-point moments, rebounding strength, and camaraderie on and off the court.
By: Laurel Marewibuel
KOROR, Palau — “Levi really stepped up with his presence in the paint,” Island Jams tournament champion Franton said, setting the tone as he and teammate Levi reflected on their run to the title.
Franton praised Levi’s rebounding and hustle, calling his inside presence a decisive factor in their team’s overall performance. He pointed to a key stretch in their matchup against JJ’s team as the moment momentum swung their way.
“When we played JJ’s team and we kept making threes and they couldn’t,” he said. “That momentum helped shift the entire game in our favor.”
Beyond the competition, Franton said the highlight of the day was simply “hanging out with my friends and having a great time.” Assessing his own game, he added that his defensive pressure set the tone even when the stat sheet didn’t show big block numbers. “I feel like I forced a lot of turnovers and bad shots,” he said.
Levi said the tournament felt steady from start to finish. “Not really. It felt smooth all the way through,” he said when asked about a game-changing moment. Still, he acknowledged sensing a shift after a narrow loss. “I guess I felt it when we lost our one game by two.”
Like his teammate, Levi said the best part of the event was the atmosphere. He enjoyed “hanging out with the people there, my friends and new people I met. I also loved the Gospel presentation.”
Reflecting on his own role, Levi said he was proud of the way he allowed the game to flow naturally. “I was glad that I didn’t try to control my team and the game and I just enjoyed the day,” he said.
When asked which teammate stood out, Levi declined to single anyone out, emphasizing balanced effort instead. “We all worked well as a team,” he said. “There wasn’t just one person who really stood out on my team.”
The duo’s combined defensive energy, rebounding presence, and chemistry ultimately secured them the Island Jams crown and capped a day they described as competitive, fun, and memorable.