KALAHEO — Mariyah Oliver dropped seven of her game-total 11 points in the final period to drive Kaulupono to a 33-19 edge over the Kamikaze, Thursday night. Violet Martin, Kekai Gonsalves and Ariel Cummings combined for 14 points to lead
KALAHEO — Mariyah Oliver dropped seven of her game-total 11 points in the final period to drive Kaulupono to a 33-19 edge over the Kamikaze, Thursday night.
Violet Martin, Kekai Gonsalves and Ariel Cummings combined for 14 points to lead the Angels to a 20-6 showing over the Westside in the nightcap of the county’s 13 and Under girls basketball league at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Drawing support from Waimea cheerleaders, the Waimea junior varsity boys basketball players and supporters from the Papalina Basketball Club, Kaulupono and Kamikaze were evenly matched up until Kamikaze point guard Pili Chung left the floor.
Oliver anchored the starting five with four points in the first frame to give Kaulupono an early 5-0 lead before the Kamikaze could contend with the full-court defensive pressure from Kaulupono.
That resulted in a 6-6 second and 3-2 third, leading to the half where Kaulupono held a 14-8 lead.
Lele Silva took the lead to chip back, dropping a bucket in Kamikaze’s 3-0 fourth frame, its most productive against the never-tiring Kaulupono squad.
But following a 6-6 fifth period, Kaulupono pulled ahead 13-2 in the final frame behind Oliver’s seven points.
Joining the center, Nicole Palacio controlled the inside for her 10 points. Kaelyn Aquino-Kamakele added five points and Taylor Gaspar weathered traffic to finish with four points. Melia Okura added a pair and a digit from guard Jenaiah Banasihan accounted for the win.
Casey Arashiro finished with six of her game-total eight points coming in the second half. Shaylee Huni and Silva each finished with three points. Chung and Gilian Gregoria added pairs and a digit from Kawai Calderon figured in the Kamikaze effort.
Westside’s smaller girls were held scoreless through most of the game until Alyssa Pigao hit a three-ball in the sixth period for the final six points. Up until that point, strong forward Alyssa Miyamoto bucketed a pair in the third frame and Tianalee Apilado was one-for-four at the foul line.
Caitlynn Owen, the other strong forward for Westside, was frustrated by the Angel zone defense that kept her on the outside, capitalizing on its height.
Martin topped the Angels’ scoring with six points, followed by Gonsalves, making many feeds throughout her appearance on the court, and Cummings who each ended with four points. Pairs from Shai-Anne Abigania, Shayanne Almarza and Uilani McCabe rounded out the win.
The girls have one more game scheduled on the calendar when Kaulupono meets the Angels, Thursday starting at 6 p.m. at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. The Kamikaze take on Westside starting at 7 p.m. to close the season.
