Triston Hawelu-Inanod of the Hanakila, Boys 12 and Under, and Siokapesi Paua of the Kamikaze, Girls 12 and Under, teams walked off with Most Valuable Player honors during the title games for both divisions, Saturday. The Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association
Triston Hawelu-Inanod of the Hanakila, Boys 12 and Under, and Siokapesi Paua of the Kamikaze, Girls 12 and Under, teams walked off with Most Valuable Player honors during the title games for both divisions, Saturday.
The Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association and the County of Kaua‘i fielded a full day of eight games spread between the Kilauea Neighborhood Center and the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center as two divisions, the Boys and Girls 12 and Under, wrapped up the Kaua‘i Youth Summer Basketball action.
The Girls 14 and Under playoffs at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center will see the Kamikaze take on Team Lihu‘e for third place while Kaulupono will match up with the Kaua‘i Ballers for the division title tonight in Kalaheo.
Briggs Agu of Westside Basketball netted the day’s high score, 31 points, of all three games played at Kilauea to lead the team coached by Dino Pabre to a 38-35 edge over the Kaua‘i Ballers for third place of the Boys 12 Under division.
Thomas Yam sparked the Kaua‘i Ballers’ effort with 23 points.
Hawelu-Inanod, en route to his MVP honor, netted 21 points followed by Lexton Camat dropping 15 points in Hanakila’s 46-25 showing over Team Lihu‘e X for the division title in Kilauea.
Marty Lacierna topped the Team Lihu‘e X effort with 13 points.
The older Kaua‘i Ballers team redeemed the earlier effort when Willis Batol dropped 20 points and Kainoa Colipano added 18 points in its 72-36 showing over the older Hanakila squad in a Men 18 and Over matchup which wrapped up the Kilauea games.
Bryson Nacapuy, Marlon Cudiamat and Keli‘ikoa Baclayon finished with 8, 7 and 6 points, respectively, in the Hanakila effort.
Team Lihu‘e strong guard Ashley Lucas finished with 22 points to lead its 49-9 win over the Hanakila wahine for third place in the Girls 12 Under division, opening the games in Kalaheo.
Mie Miller, coming off a night of bon dance volunteering and dancing, added 11 points for Team Lihu‘e.
Kaylor Hermosura topped the Hanakila wahine effort on four points.
Paua, en route to her MVP honor, topped the Kamikaze 21-19 edge over Kaulupono-Blue with eight points followed by forward Kalia Shimabukuro adding six points, Shimabukuro being a silent, effective factor for the Kamikaze throughout the summer league.
The Kamikaze, with its Girls Under 12 title, finish the summer 10-0, going undefeated in league play and the playoffs.
Jasmine Santella sparked the Kaulupono-Blue effort on seven points in the division title game.
Nicole Palacio finished with 22 points to lead Kaulupono to a 40-34 edge over Team Lihu‘e in the first of two playoff games for the Girls 14 and Under division.
Palacio was followed by Jenaiah Banasihan and Melia Okura each dropping five points in the Kaulupono win.
Rianna Ralston, low post for Team Lihu‘e, was the go-to person, racking up 14 points for the blackshirts, Sierra “Pili” Chung adding five points in the effort.
Autumn Warnock and Kekai Gonsalves, both key factors for the Kaua‘i Ballers, dropped 17 and 14 points, respectively, in its 55-12 win over the Kamikaze, coming off its runner-up battle in the Girls 12 and Under division game following an hour’s rest.
Ayzlin Kealoha-Albarado topped the Kamikaze effort with four points.
Brandon Palacio, Nicole’s older brother, was joined by Nouveau Naumu, the coach of the Waimea High School boys basketball program, with 18- and 17-point scoring to lead the Bus Drivers to a 68-60 showing over Tropang-L who got 21 points from James Badua, Allan Pablo adding 18 points in the Men 18 and Over matchup.
Tipoff for the Girls 14 and Under third place game is 6 p.m., today at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center followed by the title game at 7 p.m.
