KALAHEO — A nail-biter of a game and two exciting, energetic and animated teams brought the county’s Division 1, or boys in the third and fourth grade, youth basketball league to a close Tuesday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
KALAHEO — A nail-biter of a game and two exciting, energetic and animated teams brought the county’s Division 1, or boys in the third and fourth grade, youth basketball league to a close Tuesday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Luke Hunadi fired off a game-high nine points before leaving the game after sprawling out on a final period play for Papalina in its 20-18 loss to Team Lihu‘e in the opening matchup before an enthusiastic audience.
Hunadi fired off a three-ball in the opening frame and added a pair of buckets in the third to pull Papalina to an 8-7 deficit at the half.
Ellsworth Kaleiohi got the nod for Team Lihu‘e, firing four of the team’s first half eight points en route to finishing, with eight points to lead the blackshirts. He also launched a three-ball in the final stanza.
Xaerys Dela Cruz aided the win with six points, combining with Kaleiohi to lead the quick-footed squad, which matched up well against Papalina.
Jim Ehia added three final period points, Ayden Quinn came up with a fourth period pair and a digit in the fifth frame accounted for the Team Lihu‘e math.
Following Hunadi’s lead for Papalina, Ridge Serraon came alive in the second half, popping a three ball and a bucket for his game-total five points. Cole Taba, playing the inside during the final period, found a window for a putback for his pair and Chet Pimsaguan nailed a bucket in the fourth period.
Coach Phil Baclayon, winning the Kapa‘a boys basketball title during a Monday night playoff, took advantage of the Hanakila Division 1, a team comprised primarily of players from the Hanalei and Kilauea area, to relax following the grueling playoff for the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation title.
Hanakila’s Chanson Inanod-Hawelu and Kawai Apana put Hanakila up early, finishing with a 4-2 lead over the Supersonics following the first six minutes, Aden Ringor doing the honors for the Supersonics.
Following a scoreless second frame, the Supersonics worked back from an 8-2 deficit. Mayson Broyles, who finished the night with high-point honors at 16, including a pair of three-balls in the final period, dropped eight of the Supersonics’ 10 points to pull to as close as a digit before Hanakila, banking on four points from Inanod-Hawelu, pulled to a 16-12 advantage at the half.
“I thought we were going to be in for another run,” said Tab Matsumoto, one of the field officials.
But the run never materialized as the Hanakila squad roared back onto the floor for 32 points in the second half en route to its 48-24 final.
The Supersonics, trailing by as much as 20 points, never faltered, methodically working its patterns against the energetic North Shore yellow shirts. With the seconds ticking down, Broyles brought the crowd to life, methodically launching a pair of bombs from outside the three-point arc to trim the lead slightly.
Hanakila banked on three players scoring in double digits in its victory, Kala Rall and Brandon Murata each finishing with 12 points followed by Inanod-Hawelu with 10 points. Apana added eight points, and pairs from Akela Nuuhiwa Gonga, Kaliko Pa and Wendell Soriano rounded out the win.
Following Broyles’ lead, the Supersonics got four points from Ringor and pairs from Kylan Constantino and David Rickards.
The county youth basketball league next takes the floor at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center Saturday when the league debuts the Girls Division 2, or players in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, with a pair of games starting at 9 a.m.
Kaulupono 1 meets Lihu‘e Red in the 9 a.m. tipoff followed by Kaulupono 2 taking on Lihu‘e Black in the 10 a.m. match.
The Girls Division 1, or players in the third, fourth and fifth grades, take the floor starting at 11 a.m. when Kaulupono takes on Westside followed by Team Lihu‘e meeting Team Central in the noon tipoff.
The day closes with a pair of Boys Division 3, or players in the seventh and eighth grades when Team Central Silver meets the Ballers 1 at 1 p.m. followed by Team Central Black taking on the Ballers 2 starting at 2 p.m.
There is no charge to view any of the county’s youth basketball league.
Due to the President’s Day holiday, no games will be played on Monday.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
