Kaua‘i’s JV girls exploded for 21 points in the final stanza, but the effort fell short 59-50 to Kapa‘a Tuesday. Randi Layosa came alive to snare all 12 of her game-total in the final period with guard Jaime Mariano helping
Kaua‘i’s JV girls exploded for 21 points in the final stanza, but the effort fell short 59-50 to Kapa‘a Tuesday.
Randi Layosa came alive to snare all 12 of her game-total in the final period with guard Jaime Mariano helping with a field goal and a bomb from outside the three-point arc.
“She has a hard time with layups, but the points were dropping,” said Kaua‘i assistant coach Neal Fagarang following their loss. “But the free throw shooting is what killed us. We went to the line five times in two minutes and could only get 2 points from that.”
Trailing by 14 points in the third period, Kaua‘i fought back and brought the deficit to as close as 7 points before Kapa‘a surged ahead for the win before an appreciative audience who cheered each bucket.
Ash-Lyn Lee had the best game of the season for the Junior Warriors in the win.
“She had 14 rebounds, four steals, and scored double digit,” said varsity assistant coach George Cummings who was tracking the progress of the JV players while waiting to take the court.
Lee finished with 10 points, but the fireworks came from the American Idol, Kira Nakamura who nailed four bombs from three-point-land.
Nakamura finished with high-point honors for Kapa‘a on a game-high 21 points followed by Lee.
Tori Tuttle, the tall Warrior center, finished with 8 points along with guard Kelsy Fitzgerald. Jodi Das added 6, Mele Yama netted 4 in the final frame, and a pair from the charity line from Shalyn Tupou rounded out the victory.
The Junior Raiders struggled throughout the game, trying to find its rhythm. Free throw shooting plagued them from the onset, the girls finishing 6-for-27 from the line.
Layosa topped the scoring with her dozen points followed by Christina Banach netting 11 points, six coming in third period. Mariano followed with nine points, D.J. Cubangbang added six and Rachel Hamamura finished with five.
Jori-Anne Jasper was held to just three points and pairs from Alyssa Carvalho and Janessa Grady rounded out the math.
The Tuesday night loss is the second straight loss handed to the Raiders who are now 3-2 with two more games on tap.
Kapa‘a takes its win on the road Friday night when they meet up with Waimea starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Clem Gomes Gym.
