KALAHEO — Taegan Keep fired off a game-high 21 points and Kiarra Palacio ended with 18 points to lead the Kaulupono basketball teams to a sweep at the county’s Division 2 girls basketball games Tuesday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood
KALAHEO — Taegan Keep fired off a game-high 21 points and Kiarra Palacio ended with 18 points to lead the Kaulupono basketball teams to a sweep at the county’s Division 2 girls basketball games Tuesday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Working under the coaching of Pedro Saligumba and Bobby Kamakele, both Kaulupono squads were quick on the floor, the Kaulupono Blue controlling the Seacats for a 37-18 win while the Kaulupono White stayed ahead of the Kaua‘i Ballers in its 31-17 win in the nightcap.
The Seacats, under the constant coaching of Bill Suttell, rebounded from a 21-4 deficit in the third period, the yellow shirts finding its way around the Kaulupono blue shirts for a 10-2 performance fueled by Summer Mead and Risa Whetsel each dropping four points.
Whetsel topped the Seacats’ scoring on eight points with Mead and Alexis Warnock each adding four points in the effort.
Keep topped the Kaulupono Blue scoring with a game-high 21 points, dropping 17 of her marks in the first half. Guard Monique Lorenzo finished with 10 points followed by Lacey Bagain ending with six points.
Paea Tafea, Jazmin Kaleiohi and Kanoe Manupule each dropped a bucket in the opening frame to pull the Kaua‘i Ballers to a 6-5 advantage over Kaulupono White.
But with Kiarra Palacio taking the lead, Kaulupono White came back to control the ball for the remainder of the contest, Palacio, not only dropping high-point honors with 18 points, but pestering the Ballers like a mosquito and forcing turnovers.
Kaulupono low post Jasmine Santella added six points, China Yasay, the cool point guard, finished with four points, T.J. Ramos added three and Apryl Grande finished with a pair.
Kaleiohi topped the Ballers’ scoring with five points followed by Tafea and Tamare Daligcon-Pomaikai each contributing four points.
Mele Tafea and Kanoe Manupule each finished with a pair.
The county’s youth basketball league next takes the floor Saturday with six games on tap at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center starting at 9 a.m.
Lihu‘e Red opens against Papalina in a Boys Division 3 game at 9 a.m. followed by Lihu‘e Black taking on Hanapepe at 10 a.m.
A pair of Girls Division 3 games punctuate the boys’ action when Lihu‘e Black takes on the Kamikaze at 11 a.m. followed by Lihu‘e Red taking on the Seacats at noon.
The Ballers 1 boys Division 3 squad host Hanakila in the 1 p.m. tipoff with the Ballers 2 closing the day against Westside in a 2 p.m. tipoff.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
