Angels, Kaulupono pick up Thursday night wins

KALAHEO — The Angels and the Kaulupono girls took early leads and held on to win the latest round of the county’s 13 and Under girls basketball league games, Thursday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.

The Angels, getting their lead from Kekai Gonsalves and Ariel Cummings, jumped to a 20-1 halftime lead and added just five points in the second half.

Gonsalves and Cummings each finished with seven points to lead the Angels’ 25-12 win, followed by Mele Havea adding five points, including a three-ball in the opening frame. Keisha Aki and Siokapesi Paua paired to round out the win.

Caitlynn Owen topped the Westside scoring with 11 second-half points, including a pair from outside the three-point arc in the final period. Brandee Burton had the digit in the first half.

Nicole Palacio finished with nine points and Jenaiah Banasihan added six points to lead the Kaulupono girls in their 22-15 win against the tenacious Kamikaze.

Lele Hanie and Lele Silva each banked buckets in the second period to outscore Kaulupono 4-3, but the Kaulupono blueshirts answered with an 8-0 run in the third period for the 13-4 halftime bulge.

The Kamikaze came back in the fifth period to outgun Kaulupono, 4-1 with Hanie scoring all four points, but Kaulupono held on to win.

Following Palacio and Banasihan, Kaulupono got four points from Kaelyn Aquino-Kamakele, a pair from Taylor Gaspar and a digit from Melia Okura.

Gilian Gregoria, Silva, Kawai Calderon and Shaylee Huni each paired for the Kamikaze following Hanie’s lead. Pili Chung finished with a digit.

The county’s 13 and Under league moves to the Kilauea Neighborhood Center, Saturday when the Kaua‘i Ballers take on Papalina-Blue starting at 10 a.m. and Hanakila hosts Papaline-Gray starting at 11 a.m.

The girls next play on Thursday at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center starting at 6 p.m.