LIHU’E – The 0-8 preseason record, the smaller bodies and the season-finale loss to Kaua’i are moot points. Throw them in the Waimea Canyon. The Menehunes rendered all else meaningless Tuesday night when it stunned the host Red Raiders 60-48
LIHU’E – The 0-8 preseason record, the smaller bodies and the season-finale loss to Kaua’i are moot points.
Throw them in the Waimea Canyon.
The Menehunes rendered all else meaningless Tuesday night when it stunned the host Red Raiders 60-48 in the Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation girls basketball championship.
After losing twice to Kaua’i during the regular season, Waimea stepped into the Raider Dome as if they owned the building, shooting a scorching percentage on their way to their highest scoring output of the year.
When the game was in hand, Waimea coach Elton Montemayer began removing his starters to the thunderous roar of the Menehunes’ contingent up from the westside. Each player embraced her coach, but none clamped on like senior-captain Robyn Manuel. She wrapped around Montemayer and began scuffing his hair, tears running down both faces.
“They believed in my father and I and our system,” Montemayer said. “But we asked so much of Robyn and she carried this team when it needed carrying.”
To the tune of 23 points Tuesday night on a mixture of lay-ups, jump shots and even a 3-pointer.
“It’s really unexplainable right now,” Manuel said. “It’s just very exciting to be going to the state tournament.”
It will be her first trip in three years at the varsity level. Manuel said the best her teams have finished in the past was “close to second.” Waimea athletic director James Kitamura guessed it has been at least 10 years since the Menehunes have represented the island in girls’ basketball.
“I don’t consider myself an MVP, though,” Manuel said. “Only a leader. It’s a team thing.”
From a scoring standpoint, it was Manuel thing, as junior Melody scored 16, including five during the game’s turning point.
With the score tied 27-27 midway through the third quarter, Melody hit a wide-open jump shot. The Menehunes then tightened their defense over the next several Kaua’i possessions, limiting the Red Raiders to one suspect shot before ripping down a rebound.
Ashley Hori hit a jumper, then Robyn Manuel. Robyn then stole the ball under the Red Raiders’ basket, scored the lay-up while being fouled and sank the subsequent free throw. Then more Waimea defense another steal. Ten seconds later Melody drained a 3-pointer and the 12-0 run was finished.
As was Kaua’i.
“There’s not a whole lot I can say to my girls when [Waimea] shoots as well as they did,” Red Raiders coach Penny Vess said. “We were making some shots, and I think we would have been all right if they hadn’t shot such a high percentage, but they did.”
Waimea took the 12-point advantage into the final quarter, knowing it had blown a similar lead in the regular-season finale May 9.
“We weren’t going to do it again,” Montemayer said. “Tonight we made our free throws.”
The Menehunes were 15-for-20 from the charity stripe in the final frame.
“We wanted it so bad tonight,” Montemayer said.
Undersized Waimea proved it by grabbing 30 rebounds to Kaua’i’s 25, and by swarming around the ball when the Red Raiders fed their post players. As a result, Kaua’i’s guards accounted for 38 of their teams 48 points.
“Defense is the reason I think we’re where we’re at,” Montemayer said. “That’s the philosophy I had to get them to buy into. And they have.”
Montemayer, along with family members Glenn and Guy deserve plenty of credit. They guided the Waimea junior varsity boys to a 6-0 record before taking over the girls.
When the buzzer sounded, Elton leaped into the stands to hug his wife, Nori.
“She’s been so supportive of me and this effort,” the coach said. “She’s allowed me to pour myself into my players.”
Now the cup is filled with a KIF championship.
