KALAHEO — Joy Milbrand took the leader spot for the Hanakila girls basketball team, posting a game-high 15 points to lead the North Shore team to a 51-11 win over Team Lihu‘e 2 on Monday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood
KALAHEO — Joy Milbrand took the leader spot for the Hanakila girls basketball team, posting a game-high 15 points to lead the North Shore team to a 51-11 win over Team Lihu‘e 2 on Monday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Pouring nine points in the first half, Milbrand continued to lead the team of girls from the Hanalei to Kilauea area with six points in the second half, improving its 27-4 halftime lead to the eventual victory.
The Tolenea girls, Shanol and Keani, netted eight points apiece followed by Jaliyah Cassem adding six points.
Rachel Stevens and Kayla Tangalin each finished with four points. Angelica Cudiamat, Asia Boiser and Angelee Kaden rounded out the victory with pairs.
“This is a great bunch of girls,” said Hanakila coach Mike Stevens following the win. “They work hard and are a lot of fun.”
Leona Sime topped the Team Lihu‘e 2 scoring on eight points, outdoing herself by pouring in four points in the fourth period, equalling the four points she netted in the first half.
Marissa Layosa played with her eyes off the scoreboard, never giving up through the entire six periods before netting her three points in the final period, a payoff for her hustle which resulted in her having to catch her breath following a coast-to-coast second-half drive which was effectively dampened by the Hanakila defense.
The Team Lihu‘e 2 counterpart, Team Lihu‘e 1, also entered the final week of play in the county’s Division II girls youth basketball league with a 45-19 loss at the hands of Kaulupono, coached by Pedro Saligumba as Bobby Kamakele shared the bench, but left the coaching to Saligumba.
Team Lihu‘e 1 jumped to a 4-2 lead behind buckets from Samantha Coloma and Tiana Manera, but Kaulupono answered in the second period when Monique Lorenzo, ending the night with 15 points, opened with six points and getting help from low post Taegan Keep, finishing the night with a game-high 18 points as Kaulupono outgunned Team Lihu‘e 1, 12-3 and never looked back.
Following the two leaders, China Yasay added four points with April-Joy Grande, Qayjah Apuna, Geena Ganotisi and Jei-Lii Dela Cruz each adding pairs.
Coloma finished with 10 points to lead Team Lihu‘e 1, including a pair from three-pointland which ignited the audience on each launch.
Seidree Kealoha-Albarado and Manera finished with four points apiece and a fifth period digit from Roelene Mabini rounded out the effort.
Karen Matsumoto of the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association, assisting the county with scoring table and field officials, said following the completion of the county’s Division II youth league for students in Grades 4 through 6 this week, Saligumba and Kaulupono Basketball will open its termite league next week.
