LIHU’E – Charging off the opening tipoff, the Waimea B & G sizzled the twine at the Kaua’i High School Gym to lay claim to the title of the Kaua’i Youth Basketball Association (KYBA) Girls 12-Under division on Saturday morning,
LIHU’E – Charging off the opening tipoff, the Waimea B & G sizzled the twine at the Kaua’i High School Gym to lay claim to the title of the Kaua’i Youth Basketball Association (KYBA) Girls 12-Under division on Saturday morning, outgunning the Kaua’i Fire Raiders 28-17.
Moani Durant lit up the scoreboards as she led the victorious westside girls to an early 13-4 quarter. Durant finished as high pointer for the Boys & Girls Club with 9 points (4 field goals, 1/1 FT) all coming in the opening frame.
Kierra Barba iced the win with a 6-point (3 field goals) final stanza as Waimea survived a comeback effort by the Kaua’i Fire Raiders in the second and third periods.
Outshooting Waimea 7-6 and 3-2, the early 13-4 B & G run at the net proved insurmountable as coach Brian Inouye said, “The baskets weren’t dropping. We had the shots, but nothing fell.”
Waimea came back with a 7-3 final quarter to seal the championship. Carie Inouye topped the Raiders’ scoring with 5 points including a trey in the second period with Kristen Shim and Brandi Kohatsu adding three digits apiece. Ho’onani Dennis, Jazelle Balilea, and Shena Mata rounded out the scoring with a pair each.
Beises Durant’s nine markers, and Barba’s six, Waimea got help from Cherilynn Kua’s 4 points. Resha Banasihan, Kolonahe Arquette, Natalie Mata, and Josey Jacinto each contributed a pair with Whitney Cachero rounding out the win with a digit.
Earlier in the morning, the Kilauea Hui under the coaching of Mits Yokotake came back from a 0-4 first quarter to shut down the Lokahi Girls 13-6 at the buzzer for the third place of the KYBA Girls 12-Under division.
Brittney Carvalho, high pointer for Lokahi, paced the Kapa’a first quarter, but Kilauea answered in the second frame as Claire Owens dropped a pair.
A 6-point Kapua Chandler third quarter pulled the Hui into the leader’s column, with Kieren Pond finishing off the scoring with a 5-point fourth quarter showing.
Lokahi’s scoring with Carvalho’s four and Kela Caspillo adding a first quarter pair.
