The Kauai Ballers, under the leadership of player-coach Jessi Aki, is the top seed in the 18 and Over Women’s summer league. Following the results of Friday night’s matches at the Kapaa High School gym, the Kauai Ballers remain undefeated
The Kauai Ballers, under the leadership of player-coach Jessi Aki, is the top seed in the 18 and Over Women’s summer league.
Following the results of Friday night’s matches at the Kapaa High School gym, the Kauai Ballers remain undefeated following its 68-26 win over the Meatballs.
Karen Matsumoto, coordinator for the Kauai Youth Basketball Association, said Friday night was the final scheduled league games in the KYBA 18 and Over Women’s summer league.
Reggie McCabe topped all scorers with 23 points to lead the Kauai Ballers’ win. During the game, Aki fired off a total of 19 points, while Ala McCabe, Reggie’s sister, fired off 11 points and Lauren Claypoole added another eight points.
The Kauai Ballers lost little time asserting itself, posting a 17-12 lead after the first quarter.
Overall, the Ballers netted 22 field goals to the Meatballs’ nine and launched five from outside the three-point arc — Ala McCabe posted two, Aki netted two and Raquelle Matayoshi got one.
The Meatballs was limited to two treys, one from Liona Hasegawa and the other from Josey Jacinto. Hasegawa topped the Meatballs’ scoring with 11 points followed by Robyn Hoopii-Manuel, who netted six points toward its No. 4 seed in the league.
Earlier, Rachael Taira fired off 11 points, Carie Inouye added nine and Cherisse Rapozo added eight points to lead #Ballout to a 41-38 edge over Team 808, who got a game-high 13 points from recent Waimea High School graduate Paige Connelly and Kelsey Cadiente, who added seven points.
The opening game started short as #Ballout had no bench, five girls on the floor, and Team 808 having six at the tipoff.
Both teams, however, welcomed reinforcements in the third quarter as Tahnee Shigematsu gave #Ballout some relief and Erin Connelly joined the fray.
Both teams were evenly matched throughout the contest, with 13 field goals apiece and 50 percent showing at the charity stripe. #Ballout got 9-of-18 while Team 808 was 6-for-12.
In the three-ball battle, each team was evenly matched again with both teams getting two.
Taira launched one for #Ballout in the second quarter while Carie Inouye chalked one up in the third frame. Kayla Perez and Cadiente each fired off a single three-ball for Team 808 in the third frame.
With the win, #Ballout gets the No. 2 seed and faces Team 808, the No. 3 seed, in the playoffs on Friday at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Tipoff is at 6 p.m. followed by the Meatballs going up against the Kauai Ballers at 7 p.m.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
