KALAHEO — Ariel Cummings had nine points and Shai Anne Abigania drilled eight points to lead the Kaua‘i Ballers to a 30-4 roll over Lihu‘e, Monday. Tiana Apilado finished with 11 points and Brandee Burton added nine points as the Westside
KALAHEO — Ariel Cummings had nine points and Shai Anne Abigania drilled eight points to lead the Kaua‘i Ballers to a 30-4 roll over Lihu‘e, Monday.
Tiana Apilado finished with 11 points and Brandee Burton added nine points as the Westside Basketball kept Kaulupono at bay, 25-9 in the second of two games in the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association Girls 12 and Under games at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
The Monday doubleheader resumed the summer league for the KYBA/County of Kaua‘i program following a brief recess for the three-day 17 and Under boys basketball invitational tournament that was won by the Puuloa Bandits over the weekend.
On the final day of the tournament, the Girls 14 and Under took the floor following the final game and Cummings came up short in the Kaua‘i Ballers’ matchup against Waimea.
Caitlyn-Amber Owen finished with 11 points and Jofferlyn Perpose added six points to lead Waimea to a 19-13 edge over the Kaua‘i Ballers B team, Cummings being held to four points in the play-up game.
The Kaulupono Under 14 team, behind the lead of Sanoe Kaohelauli‘i’s 12 points and Nicolei Banasihan’s 10 points, handed the Kaua‘i Ballers A team a 37-30 loss in the second game played Saturday afternoon.
Autumn Warnoch topped the Ballers A team scoring on 11 points with Kekai Gonsalves adding eight points.
Following Cummings and Abigania, Janessa Calvan and Kunani Tuttle added six points each for the Kaua‘i Ballers U12 team, Monday, Tuttle getting strong support from her entire family who was in the stands, including sister Tori, a Kapa‘a High School standout during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation season.
Lihu‘e, a young team under coach Max Manera, played tough despite being outsized by the Kaua‘i Ballers, led by the persistent drive of guard Marissa Martinez who put the redshirts on the board late in the first quarter, and then again in the final frame after being held scoreless by the Kaua‘i Ballers.
Monique Tomacder demonstrated strong play from the wing and Tavehi Tafiti was in the mix for rebounds, passing off to either Tomacder or Martinez.
Kiarra Palacio was determined to put up a three-ball, but the Westside Basketball outhustled Kaulupono, holding Palacio to just six points, four coming in the final frame to lead the Kaulupono effort. Bree Ann Cayaban, going 3 for 5 at the charity stripe accounted for the effort, the scoring not indicative of the hustle and drive on the floor by the Kaulupono blueshirts, who got additional coaching from former player Kori Sakamoto who is home from college for the summer.
Clarrisa Yadao lent three points to the Westside victory, her competitive spirit with teammate Alyssa Pigao yielding rebounds on Kaulupono free-throw efforts. A pair from Shania Kaahepu‘u rounded out the win.
KYBA hosts five games, Thursday, three Boys 12 and Under games at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center and a pair of Girls 14 and Under games at the Kapa‘a High School gym. Games start at 6 p.m. at both sites.
