Waimea is only semi-pleased with Wednesday’s KIF opening win over Kaua’i. Sure, they won, and that’s always nice. But if you appraised their sloppy defense in the first half and the incessant turnovers that had them down 25-20 going into
Waimea is only semi-pleased with Wednesday’s KIF opening win over Kaua’i.
Sure, they won, and that’s always nice. But if you appraised their sloppy defense in the first half and the incessant turnovers that had them down 25-20 going into the third, the win can easily turn bitter.
They may have notched a “W,” but if the Red Raiders had hit every open shot beyond the arc-especially in the first two quarters-there’s a chance Waimea may not have won.
“We left too many shooters open,” said Menehune Head Coach Matt Taba.” We gave them too many chances in the first half, and they were hitting their shots.”
The Menehunes gave up five threes in the first half, they only allowed one in the second.
But Taba says Waimea’s sputtering offense was the true eye-sore of that win.
“Too many turnovers in the first half,” said Taba . “We turned the ball over too many times and weren’t communicating on the floor. We began to clamp down on these mistakes in the second half, and started playing tighter defense, but we still aren’t where we want to be.”
Taba said it’s not easy playing teams like Kaua’i and Kapa’a, and like last year, any KIF team can win on any given day.
At least for now, the Menehunes know they have it plugged up down low.
Forwards Jordon Dizon and Austin Alquiza didn’t let much happen for the Red Raiders under the net. They forced Kaua’i to shoot from the outside, and the two rarely gave their big men the freedom to shoot high-percentage shots.
And on the other side of the court, even in the shadows of a Kaua’i fly-swatter named Jason Sahara, guys like Dizon provided the Menehune’s with reliable frontcourt offense.
“Dizon has been a real plus for us,” said Taba. He’s tough, he plays hard, and he listens.”
Whatever coach Taba told him, it worked. Wednesday night. Dizon scored 16 points on 7-9 shooting, netted eight rebounds and notched both an assist and a steal. His intensity ravaged the paint down under; his shot selection, normally a routine power-layup under the basket, was just what the Menehunes needed down the stretch.
Dizon and Alquiza will be tough for this league to get over, and once Taba is pleased with how the Menehunes play for all four quarters, this may be the team to be challenged.
