The Kaua’i Red Raiders can’t seem to break the cycle. In both meetings in the second round, the Waimea Menehunes have allowed the Red Raiders to scrape into the lead with poor shooting and senseless turnovers, and every time Kaua’i
The Kaua’i Red Raiders can’t seem to break the cycle.
In both meetings in the second round, the Waimea Menehunes have allowed the Red Raiders to scrape into the lead with poor shooting and senseless turnovers, and every time Kaua’i seems to be on the brink of taking their second league victory, the Menehunes maintain and pull out the win.
It’s almost like a tease.
And last night’s game, which the Menehunes took 42-39, acted as the perfect example.
Kaua’i guard Lionel Tomacder hit a three to tie it up at 36 apiece at the onset of the fourth; Waimea’s Winnie Arios answered with a three of his own.
T-Mac came back with two more free-throws to close the gap; Desmond Rodrigues hit a bucket on the other end to put the Menehunes up 41-38.
Waimea’s Darwin Tutop missed two free throws that would have sealed the deal for the Menehunes; Kaua’i’s Jason Sahara missed a free throw that might have helped the Red Raiders gain some ground.
And in the final seconds, the Raiders down by three, Waimea commits a turnover to give Kaua’i one more chance.
Of course, the trey falls short. Waimea clinches another slim victory and remains undefeated in the KIF.
The Red Raiders begrudgingly fall to 1-5.
The Menehunes shouldn’t be impressed with this latest victory — they had plenty of opportunities to seal the win long before the last-second three-pointer.
Waimea’s defense was sharp in the first half, holding the Red Raiders scoreless in the first four minutes of the second quarter and forcing eight total first half turnovers.
But they struggled on offense.
The Menehune made only eight of 20 first half field goals — many of them high percentage shots from under the basket — and committed eight first half turnovers of their own
