KAPA‘A — The Warriors and Menehune had the Wednesday night stage all to themselves and Kapa‘a seized the moment with a 51-34 win over Waimea at the Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a. Due to inclement weather cancelling the Kaua‘i-Island School
KAPA‘A — The Warriors and Menehune had the Wednesday night stage all to themselves and Kapa‘a seized the moment with a 51-34 win over Waimea at the Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a.
Due to inclement weather cancelling the Kaua‘i-Island School boys basketball game in Puhi, as well as KIF soccer action being called off, Kapa‘a and Waimea were the evening’s sole attraction.
Defense proved to be the name of the game as Kapa‘a (3-2) turned a six-point lead into a 17-point advantage by holding Waimea (2-3) to just three points in the third quarter.
The Warriors, who have now won three straight, got six points from Kainoa Colipano in the third as they outscored the Menehune 14-3 to grab a 35-18 advantage going into the final eight minutes.
Colipano finished with a game-high 17 on the night, while Spam Lindsey scored 12 points, eight coming in the fourth quarter.
Willis Batol had five points for Kapa‘a, Bradley Coloma and Adam Clark each scored four and Daniel Reis and Jundell Sagucio scored three apiece. Kea Nacolatabua had two and Keane Agoot had one point.
Waimea was led by Clifton Callejo’s 10 points, while Vinda Carineo scored nine. Brandon Palacio had six, Paul Oligo had three and Travis Soares, Ariel Lahip and Jake Corona all scored two.
The opening half was a defensive battle as Lahip knocked down a runner late in the first quarter to bring Waimea to within three points at 11-8.
The Menehune struggled mightily from the free-throw line in the first two quarters, going 0 for 11 as a team, including Carineo missing on seven foul shots. But Waimea still had things even at 15-15, before Kapa‘a scored the half’s final six points, started by a three-point play from Colipano off a pass from Reis.
Coloma grabbed an offensive rebound and put back the lay-up to give the Warriors a 21-15 advantage at halftime. The diminutive point guard was all over the glass on both ends, playing much bigger than his stature.
Kapa‘a went on a 9-0 run during the final minutes of the third quarter and was outrebounding Waimea, with Sagucio pulling down an offensive board and scoring for the 35-18 lead after three.
The Menehune got no closer than 12 points the rest of the way as Lindsey did much of the fourth-quarter work to keep the game out of reach.
The Warriors matched their biggest lead of the night at 50-31 when Nacolatabua scored on a right-handed hook shot from the baseline. The reserve’s lone bucket sent the gym into an eruption from the Kapa‘a fan base.
It was a slow start that cost the Waimea JV in the evening’s opening game, with Kapa‘a JV picking up a 55-47 victory.
The Warriors ran out to a 16-3 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back, though the Menehune played them evenly the rest of the way.
Kapa‘a had 12 players score in the game, with James Stevens leading the way with 11 points. Kawika Wellington scored nine and Lance Miyashiro and James Paik had six apiece. Makana Aki and Jeremiah Obrero each had five points, Kevin Esteban scored three, while Wheeler Batol, Keliikoa Baclayon, Kanai Thronas, Denmark Aladin and Fresno Masaniai all chipped in two points.
Duke Yadao was the game’s high scorer with 22 points for the Menehune, who got eight from Peterson Lahip and seven from Anoor Martinez. Chava Delos Reyes scored six on a pair of 3-pointers and Javan Torres and Charlie Kahepuu had two points apiece.
The boys are scheduled to take the floor again Saturday, as Waimea will host the Kaua‘i Red Raiders at the Clem Gomes Gym with JV tipping at 5:30 p.m., followed by varsity.
Kapa‘a will be at home once again to host the Island School Voyagers in a varsity-only contest at 7 p.m.
