KAPA‘A — The ‘Barba’ was open later than usual in Kapa‘a last night, as the the Menehune edged the Warriors, 49-43. Waimea junior guard Chad Barba led the way with 16 big points and senior teammate Aaron Hesapene put up
KAPA‘A — The ‘Barba’ was open later than usual in Kapa‘a last night, as the the Menehune edged the Warriors, 49-43. Waimea junior guard Chad Barba led the way with 16 big points and senior teammate Aaron Hesapene put up 10 points, including four big free-throws to seal the deal towards the end of the contest.
Barba started off hot with seven points in the first quarter, but Kapa‘a kept pace for the 9-9 first quarter score.
Kapa‘a’s Nate Berales knotted things up with three minutes to go in the first half at 19 a piece with two FT’s and a runner.
But Waimea pulled away with one minute to go, thanks to Max Hadwin and Hesapene. Both put up two points each for the 26-21 bulge. At the half, the Menehune led 28-24.
Both squads came out of the halftime locker rooms cold, but the action heated up at the end of the third with Kapa‘a’s Junnel Calpito tying it up at 30 with two FT’s, but Waimea’s Brendan McDaniels scored two buckets and Hesapene’s steal and lay-in made it 34-30 in favor of the Menehune. At the end of three, Waimea led 38-32.
Waimea outdistanced itself from the Warriors with Hesapene and Barba supplying the fireworks.
At one point, the Menehune led 42-34. Kapa‘a refused to go away all night and they didn’t stop in the final stanza, as Kiah Imai scored three straight points to close the gap between the two teams at 44-41 with a minute to go. Waimea’s McDaniels came up with the biggest defensive play of the evening by tying up Kapa‘a guard Greg Ragsac, with the possession arrow pointing towards the westside.
Hesapene’s four charity stripe makes, gave the Menehune the game at 49-43.
Along with Barba’s 16 and Hesapene’s 10, McDaniels finished with six points, followed by Kyle Pigao’s five, and Max Hadwin’s four to pace the Menehune.
The Warriors were led by Amini Ta‘ufo‘ou with eight points, Leonel Calvan and Junnel Calpito with six markers, and Kaylan Dolor with five points. Ragsac, Manolito Pescador, and Berales chipped in with four points a piece.
Bradley Frasco’s 10 points led the Menehune JV team to a 35-30 win over the Warriors. The Menehune led early, but the Warriors stormed back to make the game close. Vincent Vea had nine and Daniel Lizama put up five for Waimea. Halem Medina and Albert Aguila led the Kapa‘a cause with nine each, followed by Ghian Pajarillo with 8, including two three-pointers.
KIF basketball continues on Friday, with the Red Raiders traveling to the Bernice Hundley Gymnasium to face the Warriors. The JV game starts it off at 5:30 p.m., with varsity action following 20 minutes later.
