KALAHEO n Three teams from O‘ahu will be joining five teams from Kaua‘i as the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association hosts its 9th Annual Kaua‘i Invitational tournament from June 8 to June 10. Coach Ken Tangjian is a former Kaua‘i boy
KALAHEO n Three teams from O‘ahu will be joining five teams from Kaua‘i as the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association hosts its 9th Annual Kaua‘i Invitational tournament from June 8 to June 10.
Coach Ken Tangjian is a former Kaua‘i boy and will return with the Pu‘uloa Bandits. Coach Clayton Tang is also no stranger to the eight-team tournament and will return with his Ikaika Basketball team. Coach Clayton Sorayama will bring along the Lanakila squad.
Kaua‘i teams involved in the tournament include Kalaheo, coached by Steven Matsumoto, Wailua, led my coaches Talbert Tacbian and Junnel Calpito, the Lihu‘e Breakaway and coach Billy Ramos, Waimea with Neil Pigao at the helm and Kapa‘a, under coaches Nick Hill and Lewis Lindsey.
Kalaheo will open the four-game schedule on June 8 when they go up against Wailua at 5:30 p.m.
Lanakila will match mettle with the Lihu‘e Breakaway at 6:30 p.m., followed by Waimea taking on the Pu‘uloa Bandits at 7:30 p.m. The final contest pits Kapa‘a against Ikaika Basketball at 8:30 p.m.
Winners and losers from the Thursday night games will move into bracket play Friday night with four games scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.
Saturday games start at 2 p.m., with the championship tipping off at 5 p.m.
KYBA coordinator Karen Matsumoto said a food booth will be available during the tournament with proceeds going to help the Kaua‘i basketball varsity boys who will be traveling to two off-island tournaments in July.
The games are free.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.