KAPAA — The Kauai High School boys basketball held off a strong late-game challenge from Kapaa to take a 48-46 edge out of the Bernice Hundley Gym Saturday night before a crowd that appeared to be emotionally drained from the day’s events that created havoc with Kauai Interscholastic Federation event scheduling.
The Red Raider victory clinched the KIF round 1 crown, and came on the heels of a junior varsity nail-biter where Kapaa rebounded from a 26-19 halftime deficit to take a 45-44 victory after a last-second shot by Kauai’s Keane Tibon was effectively defended by Kapaa’s Waika Rogers, and the putback effort by Miles Davis came up empty at the buzzer.
“We made mistakes out there,” said Ipo Yoshioka, the Kauai varsity coach. “We capitalized on their mistakes, but we made mistakes. Credit to Kapaa, who did well. They capitalized on our mistakes. We can only improve.”
Christian Manera finished with a game-high 27 points, fueling a 23-18 Kauai first-half performance on both sides of the ball, and dropping 11 of the Red Raider points in the first half.
The Warriors roared back on the floor, only to be victimized by turnovers and another 10 digits to Manera’s scoring. Kapaa adjusted with the three-ball, nailing three of its game-total five in its move that saw the Warriors outscore Kauai, 19-15, behind a pair of treys from Kilakila Hepa and one from Kurtis Fujito-Pascua, who finished the game with three from outside the three-point arc.
Hepa’s second trey tickled the twine with less than a second showing, and pulled Kapaa to within a digit, 37-38, after coming back from a Raider lead that spanned 11 points in the frame.
“Our free throws, four-for-10, weren’t dropping,” said Kapaa coach Kamahala Kauhane. “We were fortunate to have our younger players step up. We have a lot to work on and improve before we face Waimea next.”
Ironically, a charity pair from Justin Faidly, finishing with team-high honors for Kapaa with 12 points, put Kapaa up, 39-38 for the first time in the night early in the fourth quarter.
The lead see-sawed through the final frame, with Nathan Gardner’s three-ball getting it back for Kapaa with 2:10 remaining. The Warriors clung to hope when Kauai’s charity pair came up empty in the period when Kauai managed a 10-9 performance against the Warrior pressure.
Rafael Roslin, getting his game-total four points in the second half, answered a Manera bucket with 48 ticks showing, and a Shaun Paglinawan interception of a Warrior pass followed by a charity pair preserved the win as Kapaa turned over the ball with just six ticks remaining.
Kaimana Tecson added eight points and Gunnar Burkman had a pair of treys in his seven points for the Raiders, while Nakaahiki Young ended with four points and Paglinawan ended with the game-icing pair.
Fujito-Pascua finished with nine points on a trio of three-balls for the Warriors, and Hepa finished with a pair of third-quarter treys.
Kaniala Gonzalez topped the Warrior JV scoring with 12 points, including a pair of treys, followed by Akela Nu‘uhiwa-Ganda ending with 10 points.
Kauai’s JV had Jaren Ruiz-Acantilado finishing with 15 points, Tibon scoring 10 points, and Jim Ehia III adding eight points.
Kauai High School opens the second round Wednesday by hosting Waimea. The JV game tips off at 5:30 p.m., followed by the varsity match starting 20 minutes after the JV contest. Kapaa will host Island School in a JV exhibition match, also starting at 5:30 p.m.
