KALAHEO — Noah Sasil scored a game-high 15 points to lead Papalina to a 37-31 edge over Westside Basketball Thursday night during one of three Division 3 boys basketball games at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. Sasil, finishing the night with
KALAHEO — Noah Sasil scored a game-high 15 points to lead Papalina to a 37-31 edge over Westside Basketball Thursday night during one of three Division 3 boys basketball games at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Sasil, finishing the night with four bombs launched from outside the three-point arc, kept Papalina ahead through most of the night.
Papalina, at one point in the match, led by as much as 10 points before Westside Basketball whittled away at the lead, outgunning Papalina 11-5 behind four big points from T.J. Apilado and four big marks from D.J. Pabre. The pair got help from the Westside defense, which forced key Papalina turnovers.
With 4:27 showing in the fifth, Pabre’s bucket gave Westside its first lead of the night, 28-27.
But Papalina answered to regain the lead early in the sixth and final period only to have Westside’s Denez Haley pull to within a digit with 1:30 showing in the game, 32-31.
Papalina went to the corners in an effort at cutting the clock and Westside sent the orange shirts to the foul line in an attempt at regaining ball control.
Travis Miguel put Papalina up, 34-31 with 40 ticks left on the clock and Brayden Miyamoto hit his only mark of the game on the opener of a one-and-one with eight ticks showing.
Sasil highlighted his game-high performance at the buzzer after missing the opener of his one-and-one foul shot, but chasing down the rebound to bucket the sphere at the buzzer for the 37-31 final.
Following Sasil, Miguel added eight points for Papalina with Ryan Banasihan finishing with five points, including a second period trey. Gunnar Burkman marked his three points on a trey in the fifth period and Noah Thompson marked his three points on a first period three-ball. Rhylen Yadao-Purisima rounded out the win on a pair in the fourth.
Haley topped the Westside scoring with a dozen points, eight coming in the second half. Pabre and Apilado both finished with eight points, Zech Ponting added a pair and a digit from Joel Soriano accounted for the effort.
Four players from Hanakila, a team comprised of players primarily from the Hanalei and Kilauea areas, notched double-digit scores as Hanakila rolled over the Kaua‘i Ballers 1, 67-46 in the second Division 3 matchup.
Lawrence Abela led the charge, finishing with 16 points followed by Lexton Camat, Triston Hawelu and Daniels Yabes each adding 14 points in the win.
Morris Unutoa topped the arena with a game-high 26 points to lead the Ballers 1 effort followed by Chysen Barreto adding six points.
Ardino Ned finished with 21 points to lead the Hanapepe Sinister to its 43-23 win over the Kaua‘i Ballers 2 in the nightcap. Reymund Mendoza added 10 points and Kai (Boy) Perreira-Alquiza finished with eight points in the win.
Celerino Udani led the Kaua‘i Ballers 2 effort on nine points followed by Llewelyn Woodward adding six points.
Due to the President’s Day holiday, the Division 3 boys next take the floor on Thursday.
Tuesday night, the Girls Division 3, comprised of girls in the sixth, seventh and eighth grades, take the floor at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center with two games starting at 6 p.m.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
