KALAHEO — Team Central Girls’ Jessica Cezar may have had just three points Monday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. But it was the biggest points for the team coached by Clarence Sales as Cezar dropped the tail end of
KALAHEO — Team Central Girls’ Jessica Cezar may have had just three points Monday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
But it was the biggest points for the team coached by Clarence Sales as Cezar dropped the tail end of a charity pair after time expired in overtime to lead the Team Central Girls to a 15-14 edge over the Eastside Girls.
The tight game which had spectators literally jumping up and down on the bleachers and screaming enthusiastically in the waning moments was one of three played in the county’s Extreme Termite basketball league with support from the Kaulupono Basketball program.
Team Central Blue, a boys team, opened the night with a 29-8 win over Papalina behind a game-high 15 points from Raphel Khaechanat.
Kaye Serapio dropped 10 points for Kaulupono in its 24-10 showing over the Westside Girls in the nightcap.
Sandwiched between the boys’ game and the Kaulupono win, Team Central Girls pushed to a 10-0 first quarter lead over Eastside. Amalya Sales dropped four of her total six points to lead the charge.
Eastside came alive in the second period and answered with eight points behind three points from Tasia Kamuku while the stout defense kept Team Central scoreless for a 10-8 Team Central halftime lead.
The difference of a pair triggered the audience into action as Team Central took a 2-0 third quarter lead behind a bucket from Jasmyne Ballesteros for the 14-8 margin.
Buckets from Taylee Goodwin and Alexie Ann Yam proved the difference in the final stanza while the Eastside defense limited Team Central to just three digits for the 14-14 deadlock at the end of regulation. Eastside Coach Luther Yam rocketed off the bench as his teams’s final-second bucket attempt came up empty to force the overtime.
As the seconds ticked down on the 14-14 stalemate in overtime, Cezar was fouled at the buzzer to send players from both teams to the mid-court stripe, helpless to do anything with Cezar’s charity pair.
The first shot clanged harmless and elicited a groan from the audience. The second shot launched and catalyzed the celebration as the sphere swished through the twine and triggered the Westside and Kaulupono girls pouring onto the floor for warmups.
Amalya Sales topped the Team Central Girls’ win with six points followed by Ballesteros with four points. Cezar had three and a pair from Bailey Pereirra rounded out the win.
Alexie Ann topped the Eastside scoring with four followed by Kamoku with three points. Josal Najera Navas, Kiahi Pia Salvador and Lilya Cummings each added a pair and a digit from Kailee Pa rounded out the effort.
Following Khaechanat’s lead for the Team Central Blue team, Micah Agtunong and Xaerys Dela Cruz each chipped in six points. A pair from Cameron Booth rounded out the win.
Luke Hunadi and Ridge Serraon each dropped three points to lead the Papalina effort with Cola Taba rounding out the effort with a pair.
Serapio topped the Kaulupono win on her 10 points followed by Alysha Palacio with four points. Her scoring belied her importance as the court leader.
Pairs from Malia Constantino, Braelyn Cayaban, Kierstan Gummerus, Keola Kaumaoha and Jordan Simao rounded out the win.
Raelee Samio dropped six points to lead the Westside Girls with Momi Martins ending with four points in the effort.
Games continue Tuesday and Thursday evenings starting at 6 p.m. at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
The playoffs for the Extreme Termite girls begin Monday with the championship game scheduled for May 1.
