KALAHEO — Two Maui Mayhem girls basketball teams walked out undefeated from the Summer Bash basketball tournament Sunday at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. The Maui Mayhem, Division 1, or girls in Grades 10 through 12, wrapped up a successful three
KALAHEO — Two Maui Mayhem girls basketball teams walked out undefeated from the Summer Bash basketball tournament Sunday at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
The Maui Mayhem, Division 1, or girls in Grades 10 through 12, wrapped up a successful three days with a 45-40 edge over host Kaulupono for its title, banking on the second-half shooting performance from Kiana Kalehuawehe.
The Maui Mayhem, Division II, or girls in Grades 8 and 9, edged out host Kaulupono with a 32-29 win, duplicating its Saturday performance for the title.
“We knew the girls were coming to Kauai, and thought we might be able to do something with the Merv Lopes Classic Hoops tournament,” said Bobby Kamakele of the Kaulupono Basketball program. “In the end, we put on our own mini-tournament.”
Though Summer Bash began on Thursday, the Maui girls did not take the floor until Friday.
The Division I Maui squad opened with a double-header, getting past Westside, 41-29, and the Kauai Ballers, 58-17.
Jenicca Tamura topped the Mayhem Division I squad with 14 points followed by Kalehuawehe dropping a dozen points for the Westside win.
In their game against the Ballers, Kalehuawehe got help from guard Liana Tanaka, Kalehuawehe, who dropped 14 points, and Tanaka, who added another 12 points.
Noelle Johnson entered the scoring arena Saturday against Kaulupono, when the Division I Maui squad downed host Kaulupono on a 31-22 win. Kalehuawehe led the charge again with seven points with Johnson and Tanaka each dropping six points.
In the game against the Westside, Tanaka was Joined by Jenicca Tamura in dropping 13 points apiece in the 48-27 win.
The Division I Mayhem then faced Kaulupono for a second time on Sunday for the tournament title.
Kaulupono jumped out to a 20-17 halftime lead behind the shooting from guard Casey Anacleto, who dropped 10 points. Anacleto finished the day with 20 points.
Kalehuawehe came back in the second half after scoring nine points in the first half, ripping two from outside the three-point arc to pull Maui ahead at the 9:30 mark. She finished the day with 22 points in the win.
Tanaka finished with eight points — six of which came in the second half — and Johnson ended with seven second-half points.
Anacleto, who led the Kaulupono Division I squad through most of its games, was joined by tall post Melia Okura with six points. Guard Kiarra Palacio dropped another five points, including a second-half trey, and Schae-Marie Tavita ended with four points.
The Maui Mayhem also walked off undefeated with the Division II title following its 32-29 edge over host Kaulupono.
The title score was identical with its Saturday meeting when Jenicca Tamura led Maui with nine points — Nicole Pagan-Eldridge and Faith Agtaguem each added another eight points.
Kiarra Palacio led the Kaulupono effort with eight points. Okura added six points and Taegan Keep finished with five points.
During the title game, Maui Division II got a dozen points from Jamilyn Tamura with Pagan-Eldridge and Jenicca Tamura adding 10 points apiece.
Monique Lorenzo, the petite Kaulupono guard, reaped a dozen points with Kiarra Palacio adding 10 points in the effort.
The Kauai Ballers filled in third place with its 26-17 win over Westside in Division II play, led by Tori Daligcon-Pomaikai who dropped 11 points with Jaliyah Casem, who added eight points. Jasmine Santella led the Westside effort with seven points.
Westside claimed the third place spot in Division I play with its 31-25 win over the Kauai Ballers, led by Paige Connelly, who netted seven points, and Tiana Apilado, who added another six points.
Jaliyah Casem and Daligcon-Pomaikai topped the Kauai Ballers’ scoring with eight points apiece.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
