From between the arena of the varsity basketball games, the Island School Voyagers made their initial foray onto the courts. Taking advantage of a non-tournament format at the Kapa‘a High School pre-season goodwill games, the Voyagers, under Coach Brian Inouye,
From between the arena of the varsity basketball games, the Island School Voyagers made their initial foray onto the courts.
Taking advantage of a non-tournament format at the Kapa‘a High School pre-season goodwill games, the Voyagers, under Coach Brian Inouye, used the opportunity to take on both the Kapa‘a and Kaua‘i high school JV squads.
This was the Voyagers’ first run in the KIF arena. Peter Rayno, one of the referees for the goodwill series, said when the KIF season starts, the Voyagers will be playing the team that draws the bye at that team’s home gym.
Inouye, a long time KIF referee, said his squad will unofficially compete with all three of Kaua‘i’s public high schools this basketball season.
Only four of the 12 Island School hoopers are in high school making the team ineligible to compete in the KIF this year.
But with eight eighth-graders on the team and gym construction under way at the Island School campus, Inouye will be running an official KIF JV basketball program in anticipation of both the players advancing to high school and the opening of their new gym.
Inouye’s years of experience as a coach was already apparent as the fledgling Voyager team suffered an opening night loss to Kapa‘a.
“It just feels good to be out there playing, getting our name known,” said Kyle Lee, co-captain for the Voyager team. A smile crossed his face despite their loss.
As the opening date for KIF basketball draws closer, Lee said the team has three goals for the season.
“We’re going to try to win, to try our hardest and to have fun,” Lee said. “Coach Inouye says to try and score 10 points, don’t turn over the ball and have fun.”
In their 72-33 Friday night loss to Kauai High the Voyagers nearly doubled the 19 points they scored the day before against Kapa’a.
Silas Tacsiat took the lead for Kaua‘i with 16 points while Michael Chamberlain paced Island School with 11 points.
Lee was right behind with 10 points with a perfect 8-of-8 at the free throw line.
Lee would like to see the KIF JV basketball title come to the Island School campus next year, but more realistically, is anticipating the Voyagers’ first title in three years.
With the addition of the Voyagers into the JV arena, one team will now fall out of the medal race.
In the varsity arena, the two Big Island teams — Kealakehe and Kohala — dominated the action on the hardwoods as both Kapa‘a and Waimea left the Bernice Hundley looking for wins.
Thursday, Waimea, lacking the services of one of their shooters, dropped a 54-40 decision to Kohala.
That being the case, Greg Griffin topped the Menehune attack with 8 points followed by Calsen Agrade with 7 points and guard Dana Tayco adding 6 points in the effort.
Friday night, the Menehune shooter still had not recovered from the flu, and was missing from the 15-man roster as Waimea took on Kealakehe.
Kapa‘a, meanwhile, fell to Kohala 64-49 after Kohala exploded for a 23-12 fourth inning.
The regular KIF boys basketball season is scheduled to start Jan. 2 when Kapa‘a travels to the Clem Gomes gym in Waimea.
