KALAHEO — Team Lihu‘e coach Max Manera didn’t appear until just before the intermission of Game 2 on Monday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. He stopped briefly to shake the hand of one of the Team Lihu‘e 2 players
KALAHEO — Team Lihu‘e coach Max Manera didn’t appear until just before the intermission of Game 2 on Monday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
He stopped briefly to shake the hand of one of the Team Lihu‘e 2 players before moving on to chat with Steven Matsumoto of the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association at the officials’ table.
Starting the season at the helm of both Team Lihu‘e 1 and Team Lihu‘e 2, Manera said he turned the coaching duties over to his younger assistants. Teresa Gonsalves will take charge of Team Lihu‘e 2, and Cissy Edwards will take the helm of Team Lihu‘e 1. Both women are alumni of the Kaua‘i High School basketball program.
On the boys’ side of Division 2 basketball, Manera said Rafael Corpuz, an alumnus of Kaua‘i High School basketball, heads up the Team Lihu‘e Bulls. Koa Lagapa, a student player with the Kapa‘a High School program, heads up Team Lihu‘e Heat.
“Cissy couldn’t be here tonight because of an injury, so Cherri Coloma, a senior at Kapa‘a High School who played for Coach Willy Aki, is taking the team,” Manera said. “I stepped down to be an assistant in this younger division to give my assistants the experience to set up as head coaches.
Leona Sime fired off 14 of her game-total 16 points in the second half to break an 8-8 deadlock at the half to give Team Lihu‘e 2 a 24-17 edge at the final buzzer.
“Team 1 really missed Cissy’s presence in the debut of the Division 2 girls,” Manera said.
The game appeared to be a scrimmage as both players jockeyed for control, Team Lihu‘e 2 taking a 2-1 lead over the blackshirts at the end of the first period, the go-ahead coming from Sime’s bucket.
“It’s 2-1,” said Peter Rayno, officiating the match with Gene Padilla. “They’re having fun and showing good sportsmanship, too. Did you see how one girl helped the other one when she fell?”
Trailing 4-2 after two periods, Seidree Kealoha-Albarado netted two buckets and one from Koleka Chow saw the game deadlocked, 8-8, at the half before Sime ignited.
Chow topped the Team Lihu‘e 1 effort with five points, followed by Samantha Coloma and Tiana Manera each netting four points. Chow and Lindsey Nakea-Tresler each ended with pairs.
Following Sime, Justine Lopez-Henry, Taylor Cox, Marissa Layosa and Resa Rapozo each paired for the Team Lihu‘e 2 victory.
Earlier in the night, Juliyah Cassem fired off four three-balls and Asia Boiser added one as the Hanakila girls controlled Kaulupono, 49-37.
Hanakila tall post Keani Tolenea and Kaulupono tall person Taegan Keep battled for more than rebounds and putbacks. Both girls finished with 20 points to lead their respective teams as the girls in grades 4 through 6 took the floor for the first time in the county’s youth Division 2 basketball league.
Cassem finished with 14 points following Tolenea, and Joy Milbrand added four points ahead of Boiser’s three points. Angelica Cudiamat and Kayla Tangalin each paired.
Following Keep, who scored 17 of her 20 points in the second half, Monique Lorenzo ended with 10 points followed by D’analyn Holgen with four points and China Yasay with a digit.
Five games are on tap Saturday at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. The boys take the floor for three games starting at 9 a.m., and the girls go on for two games starting at noon.
