Kekai Gonsalves pocketed 18 points to lead the Kaua‘i Ballers A squad to a 39-24 edge over Waimea in the first of two Girls 14 and Under basketball games, Monday at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
The win pushes the Ballers A to a solid 7-1 standing, leading the division.
Casey Anacleto fired off 14 points to lead Kaulupono to a 47-16 win over the Kaua‘i Ballers B squad in the second of the Girls 14 and Under division games, the win keeping Kaulupono in the chase at 6-2 for a close second place.
Mele Moala lent 10 points to Gonsalves’ effort in the Ballers A win while Caitlyn-Amber Owen and Tiana Apilado paced the Waimea effort with 13 and 11 points, respectively.
Following Anacleto’s lead in the second Girls 14 and Under match, Nicole Palacio, the hard-driving forward, added 11 points while Janaiah Banasihan contributed 10 points in the victory.
Shy Anne Almarza topped the Ballers B effort with nine points.
With the results of the Monday night games, Waimea sits in third place at 3-5 and the Ballers B round out the board with an 0-8 showing.
Tiana Apilado opened her night with a 10-point showing to lead Westside Basketball to its 14-13 nail-biter over Kaulupono in the first of two Girls 12 and Under matchups.
That win keeps Westside Basketball at 7-1 to lead the Girls 12 and Under division.
Shai Anne Abigania ended the night with a game-high 16 points to lead the Kaua‘i Ballers to a 37-8 win over Lihu‘e, which got four points from Malyssa Manera.
The Kaua‘i Ballers’ win puts them in second place with a 5-3 standing in the Girls 12 and Under division while Lihu‘e, tied with Kaulupono at 2-6, drops to fifth place based on 199 total defensive points compared with Kaulupono’s 177 defensive points.
Melia Okura and Kiarra Palacio, the younger sister of Nicole Palacio and Waimea High School player Brandon Palacio, topped the Kaulupono effort with eight and four points, respectively.
In the final exhibition game played by Ikaika Basketball, Brayden Matsuzaki found the three-ball mark to end with five from outside the three-point arc to lead the visiting O‘ahu team to a 55-52 edge over Hanakila at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center, Sunday.
Matsuzaki finished with 22 points, followed by Jake Suyemoto with 11 points in the win.
Matthew Cummings fired off 17 points and Marlon Cudiamat added 11 points in the Hanakila effort.
Playoffs for the Girls 14 and Under start Thursday with games starting at 7 p.m. at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. A Boys 12 and Under game will precede the playoffs when the West Kaua‘i Hornets host Hanakila in a 6 p.m. bout.
