WAIMEA — The balance of power in the Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation has shifted like tectonic plates just before an earthquake. Waimea represents the only building with reinforcements; Kapa’a is trying to brace against the impending rubble. The Menehunes opened the
WAIMEA — The balance of power in the Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation has shifted like tectonic plates just before an earthquake.
Waimea represents the only building with reinforcements; Kapa’a is trying to brace against the impending rubble.
The Menehunes opened the KIF second round in style with a dominating 52-40 victory over first-round champion Kapa’a, playing with a confidence that rises only in winners.
“We really believe in ourselves,” senior Keola Karrati said. “I’ve never taken the KIF, but now I’m starting to think we can.”
Though behind 19-18 at halftime, Waimea (1-0 KIF second round) emerged re-focused from the break, tightening the screws on defense and holding the Warriors (0-1) to just two third-quarter points — and zero field goals.
“The kids are really buying into our defensive system,” Waimea head coach Matt Taba said. “We’ve told them to be more aggressive, to trust their own quickness.
“They are starting to do that.”
The Menehunes also are making the kind of mid-game adjustments that marks a potential champion.
Kapa’a held Waimea scoreless over the first six minutes of the contest, and minimized its offensive output for the first half with a well-planned zone defense. In much the same way that Kaua’i attempted to play the Menehunes, the Warriors moved well around the perimeter and packed defenders down on the Waimea post players.
“They really played solid defense in the first half,” Taba said. “They came out ready to play.”
Taba must have gotten into the collective head of his guards before the second half, in particular Byron Vea (nine points).
The senior began exploiting the one hole — at the top of the key — in the Kapa’a zone by knocking down open jump shots.
“We told him he was going to have to step up and hit that shot,” Taba said. “I think he ended up 4-for-5 from there.”
Vea’s productivity forced Kapa’a to cheat to the middle, freeing the post players and disrupting the Warriors’ gameplan.
Couple the refined offense with Waimea’s stingy defense — it forced Kapa’a into seven third-quarter turnovers (23 for the game) — and the result was domination.
Meanwhile, the story was a sad one from the Kapa’a camp. The Warriors, despite their distinction as first-round champs, seem to be coming apart at the seems. And head coach Michael Ban isn’t exactly sure how he’s going to stop the bleeding.
“We’ve hit rock bottom,” Ban said. “It’s a bad situation for us.”
Suspensions and an overall concern about the mental condition of his team have forced Ban to alter his starting lineups repeatedly.
“I’m just looking to put guys out there who want to play,” the coach said. “We’re going to need some kind of leadership — and fast.”
Not that the Warriors didn’t show signs of strength. They did play a solid first half.
But Kapa’a had no answer for the Waimea pressure, and could not effectively apply any of their own once they sank into a hole.
Down 32-21 early in the fourth quarter, Kapa’a tried desperately to full-court press its way back into the game. But despite the calls from Ban, the Warriors never got on the same page as to which press they were to run.
As a result, 12 of the Menehunes’ final 20 points came via lay-ups. And all 12 were scored by the post player Waimea kept down court in its press breaker.
“Two guys were running one kind of press and the other three something different,” Ban said. “But we’ll be okay. We’ve just got to sort some things out.”
In the JV contest, Waimea improved to 5-0 with a 52-34 victory over Kapa’a (0-5). Look for more on the game in Thursday’s Garden Island.
