KALAHEO — Eight makes out of 30 tries at the charity line does not win basketball games. After scoring the first five points of the game, the Kamikaze fell to Kaulupono, 30-20 when the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association and the
KALAHEO — Eight makes out of 30 tries at the charity line does not win basketball games.
After scoring the first five points of the game, the Kamikaze fell to Kaulupono, 30-20 when the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association and the County of Kaua‘i hosted four Monday games at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Kaulupono pressured the ball throughout the night, sending redshirts to the free-throw line from the second quarter on and fouling out two players in the final frame.
Siokapeshi Paua and Ayzlin Kealoha-Albarado, leading the Kamikaze scoring with six points apiece, each finished with a 2 for 4 showing at the foul line.
Sheryl Ann Tomas, getting three points in the game, netted all from the free-throw line on 12 attempts.
Renee Yanagihara netted her only pair of the night with 35 seconds remaining in the first half, but that was key to pushing Kaulupono into the lead, 10-8.
Earlier, Kaelyn Aquino-Kamakele, getting a game-high 11 points in the win, posted two quick buckets to pull Kaulupono back into the game following its 5-0 first-quarter deficit. Her buckets came with 3:30 remaining and the Kamikaze holding a 7-6 lead.
Kaulupono never looked back from that point and following Aquino-Kamakele’s lead, got four points from Melia Okura and Jenaiah Banasihan, each girl going 2 for 2 at the charity stripe.
Ashley Lucas posted three of Team Lihu‘e’s game-total five points in its 48-5 loss at the hands of the Kaua‘i Ballers in the second Girls 14 Under match of the night.
Autumn Warnock, one of the keys to locking up the inside game for Kaua‘i Ballers, finished with a game-high 17 points and guard Kekai Gonsalves added 11 points in the win, which saw the Team Lihu‘e blackshirts frustrated by its inability to crack open the inside game.
Brandee Victorino, a recent graduate from Waimea High School, finished with a game-high 26 points and Natalie Mata, taking on coaching duties for Kaulupono, added 24 points in BAM’s 77-34 win over Bajingas in one of two Women Over 18 games.
Former Red Raider guard Mei-Ling Keupuhiwa added a dozen points in the BAM victory.
Cheyanne Duarte, a guard for the Menehune wahine basketball program, topped the Bajingas’ effort with nine points, followed by Jullyn Ramos and Vakeesha Lagazo adding eight points apiece.
Red Raider guard Kristle Henry netted 12 points with Kia Barba and Paige Connelly adding six points apiece to lead 808 to a 44-34 showing over the Shakers, who got a dozen points from guard Ashley Mier and six points from Robyn Ho‘opi‘i-Manuel.
KYBA next takes the floor Thursday at the Kapa‘a High School gym when Team Lihu‘e opens against the Kaua‘i Ballers in a Boys 14 Under matchup, followed by the West Kaua‘i Hornets facing Hanakila at 7 p.m. in another Boys 14 Under game.
The Bus Drivers go up against Hanakila in a Mens 18 and Over game starting at 8 p.m.
