County’s Youth Winter Basketball tips off January 9

HONOLULU — Four girls basketball teams and 10 boys basketball teams are ready to take the floor starting Jan. 9 in the County of Kaua‘i’s youth winter basketball league.

The four girls teams open the league at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center starting at 6 p.m. when Team Lihu‘e, coached by Max Manera, takes on the Kamikaze with coach Kevin Hanano.

That game will be followed by the Kaua‘i Ballers with coach William Aki, who also coaches the Kapa‘a High School girls’ basketball program, taking on Kaulupono coached by Bobby Kamakele.

On Jan. 10, three games featuring the boys’ teams will take the floor at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center when Team Central A goes up against Papalina-Orange starting at 6 p.m. followed by Team Central B tipping off against Papalina-Blue starting at 7 p.m. and Westside A closing off the night against Westside B starting at 8 p.m.

Richie Gano and Danilo Tutop will be coaching the Team Central A and B teams with Dino Pabre leading both Westside A and B teams.

William Aki is coaching the Kaua‘i Ballers with Max Manera leading Team Lihu‘e.

Mike Steven and Roger Domingo coach the Hanakila team, a squad made up of boys from the Hanalei and Kilauea towns, with Chris Acoba leading Lepo Ula, a Westside team. Matt Taba and Clyde Vito team up to coach both Papalina-Orange and Papalina-Blue.

This league will feature students in the sixth through eighth grades, said Karen Matsumoto of the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association who will assist the county in providing desk officials and referees for the games which are scheduled for Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Games will be played at the Kalaheo and Kilauea neighborhood centers.

Matsumoto said following the league for sixth- through eighth-grade students which runs through Feb. 18, the league for students in fourth through sixth grades will start. Registration for this league will be forthcoming.

There is no admission to view any of these matches.