The slow start has really put the pressure on the Kapa’a Warrior basketball team. The weather and a few unfortunate circumstances weren’t much help, either. And as we head into the final seven days of regular season play, the Warriors
The slow start has really put the pressure on the Kapa’a Warrior basketball team.
The weather and a few unfortunate circumstances weren’t much help, either.
And as we head into the final seven days of regular season play, the Warriors will have to answer a question none of us yet know: Are they better than the undefeated Waimea Menehunes? Are they as good? Is it possible we are putting too much stock on a rivalry that may or may not have ever existed?
At this point, it’s hard to tell.
But this we know for certain:
– The Warriors may have had a slow start to the season, but they beat the Kaua’i Red Raiders in two previous meetings, and they nearly pulled off a win over the Menehunes in the final game of the first round.
– The Menehunes are undefeated, but they nearly gave up three straight regular season games to both Kauai and Kapa’a. They did hand Kapa’a a 56-38 drubbing in the first round, but that was a different Warrior team.
– When they are fired up, the Warriors appear to have an edge. But no lead is comfortable when facing the Menehunes down the stretch.
– If Kapa’a guard Garrett Danner hits the three, and Asher Cole plays as aggressive as teammate Kaili Panui, Waimea’s got trouble. But not if the Winnie Arios, Chesley Barba and Darwin Tutop trio hound the Kapa’a guards for four suffocating periods.
– If Seth Yamamoto plays the whole game like he plays the fourth quarter, and Eric Robbins keeps up what makes him a dominant presence down low, I’m going to have to go with Kapa’a. But if Dizon plays like Dizon, and Austin Alquiza turns on the hustle, I find myself leaning to the west-side.
But really, how am I to know?
The last meeting between the two ended in controversy, the most recent was cut short by the slippery floors of Bernice Hundley.
Only seven days left and I have no idea which team is more worthy of a State Championship bid.
Well, we will soon find out.
The Warriors (1-0, three regular season games left) face the Kaua’i Red Raiders (0-2, one game left) tonight in what has become a must-win situation.
If they lose, the Menehunes (2-0, two regular season games left) can clinch the second round – which will seal the KIF Championship – this Friday at Clem Gomes gymnasium.
If the east-siders win, they can lose only once to Waimea as long as they win every game for the rest of regular and postseason play.
And this puts the Red Raiders, who may feel they are on the outskirts of this coast-against-coast melee, in a fun spot.
They get to be the spoilers. The party poopers. The makers and breakers.
Which brings us to tonight, the Red Raiders’ final redemption cry.
Kaua’i has been in it the whole time, but couldn’t scrape more than one win to give them any leverage heading into the end of the regular season.
But a win tonight will prove there is a fine line between first and third place in the KIF.
Taking Waimea to the buzzer the last two games and beating Kapa’a 46-34 in their only win of the season already proves they are up there.
But one more win over Kapa’a will definitively state that any team can win on any given night, and whoever got the whole pie in the end had the extra filling during the regular season.
