KAPA‘A — Host Kapa‘a High School and the visiting Kohala Cowboys picked up wins Thursday night when the Kapa‘a Warriors opened the Kapa‘a Holiday basketball Tournament at the Bernice Hundley Gym.
Kapa‘a High School, holding just a one point lead at the half, got a fourth quarter surge from a trio of Warriors to outdistance the Waimea High School Menehune, 49-29.
Similarly, the Hawai‘i Baptist Academy, visiting from the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, fount themselves tied 22-22 with the Kohala Cowboys of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation at the half.
But the Cowboys outgunned the Eagles 24-5 in the second half to finish with a 46-27 win.
Lance Miyashiro, strong for Kapa‘a in the previous tournament, topped the Warrior scoring with a game-high 17 points, getting help from Grant Mitchell who finished with eight points.
Bobby Oliver, unable to play during the last tournament due to a cold, came back to lead the Menehune scoring with 13 points and key rebounds. Menehune low post Duke Yadao added five points in addition to being a key to ball movement for Waimea.
The Menehune came back in the third quarter, keeping up with the Warriors behind three-balls from Derek Callejo, Yadao and Chava Delos Reyes.
But Kapa‘a answered with treys of its own from Chester Dikilato and Daniel Reis, finishing the period scoring Waimea 12-9.
In the critical fourth period where the Warriors strengthened its lead, Matt Cummings lit the twine with six of the team’s 21 points in the frame. He was followed by Mitchell and Morean Clement with four points apiece and Miyashiro aided the cause with a pair along with James Stevens. The Warrior defense also stymied the Menehune drives, keeping the ball outside the midcourt stripe.
Guard Kealan Figueroa topped the Cowboys’ scoring with a dozen points with outside guard Kala‘i Kapeliela adding nine points and Mikala Jordan finishing with eight points.
B.J. Hosaka topped the Eagles’ scoring with 17 points followed by Danton Tominaga adding five points.
The tournament wraps up Saturday at the Bernice Hundley Gym when host Kapa‘a tips off against the HBA Eagles starting at 10 a.m. followed by Waimea taking on the Cowboys starting at 11:30 a.m.
The Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation starts its boys basketball season on Jan. 2 when Waimea travels to the Kaua‘i High School gym against the Red Raiders starting with the Junior Varsity tipping off at 5:30 p.m. followed by the varsity tipping off 20 minutes following the completion of the JV game.
Kapa‘a hosts Kaua‘i on Jan. 5 with the JV game starting at 5:30 p.m.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
