KALAHEO — Kiani Kawamura came up with the biggest pair of the night, Thursday. With less than a minute showing on the game clock, Kawamura capitalized on a Kamikaze turnover and slipped in the bucket to secure a 12-9 Westside
KALAHEO — Kiani Kawamura came up with the biggest pair of the night, Thursday.
With less than a minute showing on the game clock, Kawamura capitalized on a Kamikaze turnover and slipped in the bucket to secure a 12-9 Westside win in the county’s 11 and Under girls basketball league at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Earlier, the height and strength advantage of the Lihu‘e girls kept the Kaulupono Girls at bay, the redshirts sewing up a 24-10 win in the opener of a doubleheader.
With the clock running, the Kamikaze were not done as several shot attempts came up empty under heavy Westside defensive pressure.
That Westside win was fueled by the pace set by Alyssa Miyamoto and Brandee Burton, with Burton finishing the night with six points along with valuable effort in moving the ball around the court.
Kawamura added four points, including the final-minute clincher, and Shiloh Peleras added a pair in the win.
Sandrea Chung came off the bench to notch four points in the second period to lead the Kamikaze to a 6-2 advantage after two periods of play.
Burton hit her first pair in the third frame, but the effort fell short as the Kamikaze held a 6-4 advantage at the half.
Kelia Shimabukuro was 1 for 2 at the foul line for the Kamikaze in the fourth frame. That was the only point the Westside defense allowed and Kawamura’s first of two game buckets pulled the purpleshirts to within a digit, 7-6.
A Burton bucket in the fifth pushed the Westside into the lead, 8-7, for the first time in the game, and despite an answering bucket from Shimabukuro, Burton hit again before Kawamura put the lid on the win.
Chung topped the Kamikaze scoring with four points, followed by Shimabukuro’s three and a pair from Ashley Lucas accounted for the math.
Burton finished with a game-high six points, followed by Kawamura’s four and a pair from Peleras.
Jasmine Santella finished with four points to lead the Kaulupono Girls in its effort. Pairs from petite China Yasay, Kiarra Palacio and Lauren Lagoc rounded out the effort.
Kristin Kawamura topped the Lihu‘e scoring with a game-high eight points, followed by Motu Taumalolo adding six points. Laura Koga finished with four points and pairs from Kaylin Kawamura, Hina Tafiti and Marissa Martinez rounded out the victory.
Kaulupono matches up against the Kamikaze Thursday night starting at 6 p.m. at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center, followed by Westside tipping off against Lihu‘e at 7 p.m.
