KILAUEA — One of the most intense final two minutes of play inaugurated the newly-resurfaced hardwood of the Kilauea Neighborhood Center Monday night as Wailua pulled out a 23-22 win over the Lihu’e Comets in the county’s 14 Under girls
KILAUEA — One of the most intense final two minutes of play inaugurated the newly-resurfaced hardwood of the Kilauea Neighborhood Center Monday night as Wailua pulled out a 23-22 win over the Lihu’e Comets in the county’s 14 Under girls basketball program.
Entering its final week of play, Wailua’s Alicia Higa pulled Wailua into the lead 20-18 by sinking the tail end of a charity pair with 1:50 showing on the clock only to have the Comets’ Sanoe Keliinoi deadlock the game. Keliinoi was successful in sinking both ends of a one-and-one at the 57-second mark.
Seconds later, another charity pair off a one-and-one brought the crowd to its feet as Keliinoi pulled the Comets ahead 22-20.
With less than 12 seconds showing on the clock, Wailua’s Mai’lika Napoleon’s pass to Hanalei Gomes paid off as Gomes hooked a shot from 10 o’ clock, the ball swishing through to tie the contest.
A foul in the scoring sent Gomes to the line for the go-ahead digit as the Wailua guard notched the bonus under pressure.
Keliinoi got the ball, but failed to convert as the seconds ticked down, Tristan Rosare snagging the rebound, but a partial block on the shot attempt by Wailua’s Lehua McCabe sounded the buzzer on the one-point Wailua win.
Keliinoi topped the game’s scorers with a dozen points, including a trey in the fourth period, the Lihu’e playmaker marking seven-for-10 on the free throw line in the contest where Wailua’s defense limited the Comets to just six field goals in the contest while pocketing 10 of their own.
Napoleon topped the Wailua scoring with seven points, all field goals, but was in on key rebounds and feeds to the inside.
Gomes finished with five second half points for Wailua followed by Higa’s three-point contribution.
Leilani Laranio, Maegan Pablo, Britney Salvador and Emmalia Donnigan each finished the contest with a pair each for the win.
Kelsey Cadiente ended the night with six points to help Keliinoi, with Dolly Cubangbang finishing with four points for the Comets.
Rebecka Duncan finished with a game-high ten points for the Kapa’a Mystics, but the team succumbed to the In Yo’ Face, 26-16.
Jennalyn Gomes opened the scorebooks for the Mystics, followed by a goal by Duncan, but In Yo’ Face ended the run behind the strong court presence of Jami Jimenez, whose defensive posting kept the Mystics on the outside, Jimenez posting eight points in the win.
Brandi Gomes joined Jimenez with another eight points in the win with Krystal Ijima finishing with four. Kalia Mayer and Kelly Cerietia each added a pair, and a digit from Jena Kalima rounded out the In Yo’ Face arithmetic.
