WAIMEA — Menehune basketball head coach Matt Taba has been utilizing his pre-season to temper his troops as they held off a tenacious Hanalani Christian team 57-55 Friday night at the Clem Gomes Gym. A team that previously lacked in
WAIMEA — Menehune basketball head coach Matt Taba has been utilizing his pre-season to temper his troops as they held off a tenacious Hanalani Christian team 57-55 Friday night at the Clem Gomes Gym.
A team that previously lacked in height has changed as the first half scoring was done by the Waimea “tall” people, Lanikai Kanahele posting 11 of the Menehune 28-point first half showing.
Jordon Dizon had 16 points to suppliment Kanahele’s inside posting with Adam Arian rounding out the Menehune first-half scoring as Waimea trailed Hanalani 32-28.
As one fan noted during the lull, “If it wasn’t for Lanikai and Jordon, the Menehune(s) would only have two points.”
But, the rotation turned for Waimea in the second half as the Menehune got just four points each from Dizon and Kanahele as guard Jeremy Manuel took the lead with eight points and Casey Kaohelauli’i adding five markers as Waimea overtook Hanalani in a 15-9 final period showing, wrapping up the two-point win.
Dizon topped the Menehune scoring with 19 points followed by Kanahele’s 15 markers, Manuel finishing with eight, Kaohelauli’i ending with five, and Kamu Kawaihalau adding four second-half points in the win.
Bully Emayo, Arian, and Akeem Allen rounded out the Menehune math with a pair each in the win.
Keoni Haole led Hanalani with a game-high 20 markers including a pair from three-point land with Justin Suderman finishing with 11, and James Williams adding 10 points in the loss.
Grant Cummings helped clear the boards for the Hanalani squad and finished the night with nine points followed by ‘Samson Ainu adding three.
Hanalani Christian went on to play the Kapa’a Warriors on Saturday before returning home.
