KAPAA — The Kapaa High School Goodwill Tournament kicked off Thursday afternoon at the Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapaa.
The preseason boys basketball tourney started with a home win as Kauai High School’s varsity team defeated King Kekaulike of the Maui Interscholastic League.
Kauai Interscholastic Federation’s Red Raiders beat Maui’s Na Alii, 44-35, in the first of four scheduled games Thursday.
Kauai went into halftime with a 22-20 lead, but then found itself trailing when King Kekaulike started the third quarter with a 7-0 run.
Kauai caught up, however, to end the quarter tied, 29-29.
The Red Raiders went on to outscore Na Alii, 23-15, in the final period to clinch a win in the tournament opener.
Kauai senior guard Christian Manera led the team with 16 points, eight in the fourth quarter including two 3-pointers. Junior guard Kaimani Tecson scored 11 for Kauai High, and junior forward Iwi Rivera scored eight.
King Kekaulike junior Darius Lauture led Na Alii with 14 points. Junior Dylan Baird followed with 13 points.
Results of the rest of Thursday’s match-ups were not available by press time.
The tournament continues today at 4 p.m. at the Bernice Hundley Gym. Today’s scheduled games are:
w Waimea (KIF) vs. Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama (ILH), 4 p.m.
w Konawaena (BIIF) vs. King Kekaulike (MIL), 5:20 p.m.
w Kauai (KIF) vs. Kamehameha Schools-Maui (MIL), 6:40 p.m.
w Kapaa (KIF) vs. University Laboratory School (ILH), 8 p.m.
Tickets will be sold at the door. Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and children.
Are the teams all sleeping in a neighborhood center or hotel in Kapa’a? Tournament.
The stay there. You care.
What kind of food did they serve? Saimin. What? Salads.
I’m only with smart locals. Not with locals who are dumb. So you go to high school? And play football too?
I’m still a kid by heart. What is the name of the song you played during pre-game layup warmups? What?
I know all about your government. So don’t try me. The song is important part of a warmup session. Which one? Kendrick Lamar? Who?
The warmup session is where you show off to your moms/dads in the stands before a game, saying you made the team. Cheerleaders,stage, song, shuffle, rim, or backboard. This is your time to shine. Strut your stuff.
Do it.
When I was in high school in 1978, the leader of the warmup crew pre-game would tag the backboard to the song of Diana Ross or John Travolta Staying alive. Layups. The crowd went wild. All students. They had to follow the first guy. Wow. All the kids would say.
Still…wow!
Why doesn’t the Garden Island Newspaper cover the JV Basketball tournament at Island School this past weekend, with all the kauai high schools and Kekaulike of Maui.
The Goodwill Basketball Tournament was the best in a long time. Competition was awesome, food was great, teams were very respectful of each other, what more can be said, Sunrise!