It was a game where you definitely got what you paid for. The price of admission into the Clem Gomes Gymnasium Tuesday night was definitely worth it, as both teams left it out all on the court. However, Waimea High
It was a game where you definitely got what you paid for. The price of admission into the Clem Gomes Gymnasium Tuesday night was definitely worth it, as both teams left it out all on the court. However, Waimea High School picked up the win 34-24 over a pesky, young Kapa’a High School squad.
The first quarter resembled a baseball game, with both teams mustering up a total of 11 points in the first period. At the five-minute mark, Kapa’a did its version of wholesale changes with five new players entering the game. Then, Waimea followed a minute later with changes of their own. Waimea eventually took control early on as Malorie Hepa’s three at the top of the key towards the end of the first quarter put the Menehune up 8-3 going into the second period.
With both teams in the bonus early in the second frame, Kapa’a continued to bring in five players at a time, looking to give the younger athletes some much needed experience. Waimea grabbed a hold of the game more in the last quarter of the first half with help from Hepa and Tiana Samio, who both pitched in with two free-throws a piece.
Then, towards the end of the half, the game turned Kapa’a’s way with the sharp-shooting of Jackie Alapai and Poerava Gantt. After a half of play, Waimea remained up by a score of 14 to 11.
The third quarter pace picked up as the Warriors took control with five minutes to go off of a Tiana Samio steal and lay-up that put them up for the first time in the contest, 15-14. A steal by Chantelle Briones and a free-throw tied the game up at 18 a piece with a little over two minutes to play in the third. A Hepa free-throw gave Waimea the lead, but Kapa’a answered as an Alapai twirling lay-up gave the Warriors a 20-19 advantage with twenty seconds to go in the third frame. Then, just ten seconds later, Waimea’s Alexis Nawai was fouled driving to the hoop and completed the three-point play with a free-throw, which put the Menehune up 22-20 at the end of the third quarter.
The fourth period seemed as slow as the first with both teams struggling to put the orange into the hoop. The Menehune had a chance to put the game out of reach, but failed to do so after missing crucial free-throws. Hepa, a steady shooter, missed six straight. At the three minute mark, Kapa’a refused to go away, as Alapai tied it up at 24 with a free-throw. Then, it was all Waimea the rest of the way, as they took control with a 9-0 run, highlighted by two jumpers from Jana Soto to end the game with a 34-24 win. Hepa led Waimea with 11 points and Alapai paced the Warriors with 5 points.
On the JV side, it was neck and neck until the three-minute mark in the fourth quarter, as Diane Toy’s 15-foot jumper put the Kapa’a Warriors up for good. After Toy’s shot, Kapa’a scored 10 straight points en route to a 40-32 win.
The Waimea High School Menehune travel to the Raiderdome on Friday night for the season finale against the KIF champion Red Raiders. The action starts at 5:30 p.m., with the JV game. The Varsity contest starts 20 minutes after the completion of the JV game.
