KAPAA – The Waimea Menehunes girls junior varsity basketball squad defeated the Kapa’a Warriors 39-19 Tuesday night at the Bernice Hundley gym to improve to 4-1 on the season and pull into a tie with the Kauai Red Raiders for
KAPAA – The Waimea Menehunes girls junior varsity basketball squad defeated the Kapa’a Warriors 39-19 Tuesday night at the Bernice Hundley gym to improve to 4-1 on the season and pull into a tie with the Kauai Red Raiders for the league lead with three games to play.
Mallorie Hepa and Jessica Jacinto found openings down low to get the visitors off to a 4-0 start before Warrior sophomore guard Tita Kuhualua hit a banker just beyond the charity stripe to cut the lead in half.
Waimea forward Elizabeth Yaris bucket off an inbound play was answered by a Samdi Makepa field goal from the left wing for a 6-4 deficit.
A Randi-Ranasha Ortiz make underneathcapped a lengthy Menehune run and Waime led 14-4 lead after one.
Waimea limited Kapa’a to a solitary Eliza Vicoy field goal in the second period while Tori Kagawa hit a pair from downtown and Chantelle Briones hit a runner in traffic to go up 22-6 at intermission.
The Warriors stepped up the pressure defensively out of the break to outscore the west-siders 10-6 in the third quarter. Kapa’a hit two buckets and went a perfect 6-6 from the line while Waimea managed only three field goals.
Energized by the partisan home crowds vocal encouragement, Kapaa switched to an aggressive man-to-man defense and cut the lead to 28-17 on a Theresa Taylor free throw.
With 5:20 left to play, Yaris exited with up her fifth foul and Waimea, already down to nine players due to Melissa Morenos flu, went back inside to take control.
A pair of Ortiz buckets underneath started the Menehunes on an 11-2 run to close out the contest.
Kagawa, Jacinto, Hepa and Ortiz shared game-high honors for the Menehunes with 8 points apiece while Vicoy finished with 6 to lead the Warriors (0-6).
The Menehunes will travel to Lihue on Saturday for their final show-down with the idle Kauai Red Raiders (4-1) in a 5:30 p.m. game that could well decide the 2002 girls junior varsity basketball champion. Both squads also have season ending match-ups with the Warriors.
WAIMEA: Melissa Moreno DNP, Chantelle Briones 2, Tiana Samio 2, Tori Kagawa 8, Jessica Jacinto 8, Kristine Sison 0, Tiara Kali 0, Jenalyn Andres 0, Mallorie Hepa 8, Elizabeth Yaris 3, Randi-Ranasha Ortiz 8.
KAPAA: Tita Kuhaulua 2, Sandy Pimental 0, Eliza Vicoy 6, Wehi Oliver 0, Rachel Boshears 0, Leah Williams 0, Theresa Taylor 3, Nani Kuhaulua 0, Pilialoha Keaweamahi 3, Mia Archuleta 0, Kaui Cutcher 0, Leilani Josselin 2, Samdi Makepa 3, Briana Conant 0, Brittany Kaui 0.
3-Pt. Goals: Waimea 2 (Kagawa).
