KAPAA — The Kapaa High School girls basketball team held off a late rally to defeat Kauai 40-38 on Friday night. The Warriors led 33-22 at the end of the third quarter, but mistakes at the beginning of the final
KAPAA — The Kapaa High School girls basketball team held off a late rally to defeat Kauai 40-38 on Friday night.
The Warriors led 33-22 at the end of the third quarter, but mistakes at the beginning of the final period gave Kauai an opportunity to steal a game on the road.
“Turnovers are killing us again,” said Kapaa head coach William Aki after his team held on for the win. “Every time we get a decent lead and start playing good, we get backlashes. We start blacking out and making too much mistakes again.”
Kapaa’s Ariel Cummings said practices went well and she is baffled when what the team practiced isn’t executed during games.
“If you come to our practices, we’re no where as bad as we played,” she said. “It’s frustrating as a player and to our coach.”
She ended the game with nine points.
The Red Raiders started the fourth quarter with six unanswered points and cut the lead to one point. They cut the lead down to one a number of times during the final period. But they couldn’t overcome that margin in the end.
“We’ve improved from the beginning of the season up to now,” said Kauai head coach Neil Fagarang. “It was one of the best games they’ve played so far.”
However, fouls sent Kapaa to the free throw line numerous times down the stretch.
The Red Raiders had one possession with a chance to tie or lead, but Riana Ralston turned the ball over when she attempted a long pass and threw the ball out of bounds.
“She looked at me and said, ‘Coach, I’m sorry,’” Fagarang said. “It’s a learning [experience] for her. We got to flush that out and continue on.”
Ralston scored six points including one basket made during the 6-0 run at the beginning of the final quarter.
Kauai’s Ashley Lucas said this loss was hard to accept because the team came close toward the end.
“It’s frustrating, but we just got to get over it and come back 10 times harder next time,” she said.
Lucas scored 13 points.
After losing the last game at Waimea, Kapaa’s Shai-Anne Abigania said the team was determined not to lose two game in a row.
“We just had to settle down. We wanted to win really badly,” she said. “We had to focus and not let the score bother us.”
Abigania ended the game with seven points.
Prior to the fourth quarter, Kapaa’s press defense slowed down Kauai’s offense.
Aki said he wished he could use the press defense for an entire game but can’t.
“After a while, we were out of position,” he said. “That’s why I’m always interchanging the defense. We got to keep rotating them.”
Fagarang said it’s frustrating to lose but believes getting over the hump will come in time with more experience in crucial game-time situations.
“As long as I see improvements and they do what I ask them to do, winning will come,” he said.
Kauai hopes to right the ship at its next game on Tuesday at home against Waimea.
“[We have to] stay positive. This is not the end,” Lucas said. “We can come back harder. Just got to try our best to keep our heads up.”
Kapaa is next scheduled to play on Friday, also at home against Waimea.
Abigania said she hoped the team can limit its turnovers.
“We always have big leads and we always [lose them] because of stupid passes,” she said. “We need focus and make better passes and decisions.”
