KALAHEO — Wailua rode the seesaw to victory for the second time this week. “It went down to the wire,” said the father of Wailua player Jodi Das following their 35-31 overtime win over the Gee’s Angels Thursday night in
KALAHEO — Wailua rode the seesaw to victory for the second time this week.
“It went down to the wire,” said the father of Wailua player Jodi Das following their 35-31 overtime win over the Gee’s Angels Thursday night in Kalaheo.
“Wednesday, the game went down to the wire, too,” the player’s dad said as he pointed out their 24-22 win over the Knock Out Girls.
Das turned in a 12-point performance to pace the Wailua win that came in the waning minutes of the ZZ Youth Basketball 14-and-under girls league at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
“It’s going to come down to free throws,” Kaulupono head coach Bobbie Kamakele said as he re-entered the gym following their 35-18 loss at the hands of the Knock Out Girls.
The Angels appeared to have the tempo controlled throughout the contest despite the seesaw lead exchanges, but when their free throw shooting turned cold in the final few seconds, the contest went into a two-minute overtime where Wailua outgunned the Angels 4-0 for the win.
Das nailed a charity pair to pull Wailua to within a pair, 29-31, but an answering Angel basket rolled harmlessly off the rim at the one minute mark. A foul in three-point land sent another Angel to the charity stripe for three tries that came up empty, followed by another empty charity pair at the 33-second mark.
Das, with eight seconds remaining in regulation play, dropped a field goal to send the contest into overtime, 31-31.
Kira Nakamura’s opening field goal and a charity pair from Lynsi Nakamura accounted for the 35-31 final math.
Kaira Kupihea, who coupled with Das to anchor the paint, added 11 points in the victory. Lynsi Nakamura, one half of the ball-moving Wailua force, finished with eight points, and Kira Nakamura finished with four points in addition to being a ball-moving force for the girls in green.
Maile Dreir topped the Angels’ efforts with eight points followed by Jessilyn Aki adding seven points. Lehua McCabe, providing key play action in the paint, finished with six points.
Earlier in the evening, Janessa Grady ended with a game-high 17 points to lead the Knock Out Girls to a 35-18 win. Kelsey Cadiente added eight points.
Vakeesha Lagazo topped the Kaulupono A effort with six points followed by Searra Kaohi chipping in five.
“This is only the second week and already we have some very competitive games,” Jeff Venzon, ZZ Youth Basketball League commissioner said between games. “It’s good basketball.”
John Beralas led three Warriors in double-digit scoring as the Kapa‘a boys pulled ahead in the second quarter to nail a 49-21 win over Westside in the evening’s third contest.
Beralas ended with a game-high 14 points followed by Kekoa Prem adding a dozen, and Thomas Gausepohl finishing with 10 points to lead the Warrior attack.
Micah Moriwake opened the Westside scoring by receiving a long pass downcourt for an easy bucket en route to leading their effort with a game-total five points. Javson Yahos added four points for the black shirts.
Jeremy Robinson, Travis Stancil, and Jordan Slade combined for 18 of Breakaway’s 30 points in their 30-28 edge over the Lakers in the final game of the night.
Robinson finished with eight points followed by Stancil’s six, and Slade’s four points.
Aric Cansino finished with a game-high 11 points to pace the Lakers. Ian Lactaotao added five points with Seth Quisel and Darren Lapitan each chipping in four points in the effort.
Venzon announced that the public is invited to watch some good, free basketball when The Second Annual Kaua‘i Open Invitational basketball tournament opens June 14-17.
The tournament got some help from the county’s anti-drug office and will feature contests between 12 and 14 under boys teams. The Rotary Club of West Kaua‘i is also a sponsor for the tournament that will be played at both the Kaua‘i High School gym and the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
For more information, call Jeff Venzon at 245-5811.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
