WAIMEA — With just one tick showing on the clock, Jayme Jacinto’s bomb from the top of the key bounced off the backboard and the audience erupted on a 47-45 Kapa‘a win, Tuesday night. Jacinto, finishing with a game-high 18
WAIMEA — With just one tick showing on the clock, Jayme Jacinto’s bomb from the top of the key bounced off the backboard and the audience erupted on a 47-45 Kapa‘a win, Tuesday night.
Jacinto, finishing with a game-high 18 points, was frustrated from outside the three-point arc as she opened the game with a made three-ball, but all other attempts came up empty.
The Menehune were further frustrated by an 8-for-20 showing at the charity stripe, missing a number of those attempts during clutch situations. But that was equalized by a 4-for-13 showing from Kapa‘a.
More woes beset Waimea coach Elton Montemayor as Erin Connelly’s frontcourt partner, Brandee Victorino, was injured during warmups. Nicole Farr, the Waimea trainer, rushed to get crutches for Victorino, who writhed in pain on the sidelines.
Victorino would not see action on the floor, but rejoined her teammates in the second half, frustrated with her crutches.
Robin Moura stepped up to fill the low post position opposite Connelly, and despite the Menehune taking a 10-3 first-quarter lead, Kapa‘a battled back, outgunning Waimea 16-13 in the second frame to whittle back to a 23-19 deficit at the half.
Mahea Hanie-Grace paced the Lady Warriors in the second frame with six points with guard Ash-Lyn Lee adding four.
Kapa‘a’s turnaround came in the third frame when the Lady Warriors chalked up nine unanswered points in the final three minutes, capped by a three-ball from Hanie-Grace to put Kapa‘a up 30-27.
Jacinto answered with a bucket at the 13-second mark which was responded to by Kapa‘a’s Justine Holt. Waimea’s Connelly came through traffic with one second showing, but Kapa‘a had turned the tide, 32-31 at the buzzer.
The tight battle continued through the fourth frame, giving the good-sized crowd a lot to cheer about, but Waimea’s chances came up empty on turnovers and missed free throws and the Menehune never regained the lead.
Following Jacinto, Connelly and guard Vakeesha Lagazo ended with 10 points apiece. Moura, stepping in for Victorino, pulled in a fair share of boards and added five points.
Ala McCabe was held to just two points in the first half, but came alive in the second half to lead Kapa‘a with 10 points.
Hanie-Grace added nine points, including the much-needed three-ball in the third frame.
Guard Jessilyn Aki added eight points, six coming in the second half, and Holt added seven second-half points before being benched following a hard landing against the bleachers in the fourth period.
Earlier, Krystal Christian came up with nine points in the second frame as the JV Lady Warriors came from a 7-4 first quarter deficit to explode 17-5 in the second period en route to a 46-34 win over Waimea.
Christian finished with a game-high 24 points to lead the Lady Warriors.
Nicolei Banasihan topped the Waimea scoring with 14 points, including a trey in the third quarter.
Jullynn Ramos added six points, including a fourth-quarter trey, in the effort.
Kapa‘a next travels to the Kaua‘i High School Gym, Friday night with the JV game getting the evening underway at 5:30 p.m.
