LIHUE — Kamaka Hepa netted 15 points, including a trey in the first half to lead Utqiagvik Warriors to a 71-30 win over Imua White in a Division 1 matchup Friday at the Kauai High School gym. “He’s already 6-foot-8,”
LIHUE — Kamaka Hepa netted 15 points, including a trey in the first half to lead Utqiagvik Warriors to a 71-30 win over Imua White in a Division 1 matchup Friday at the Kauai High School gym.
“He’s already 6-foot-8,” said Peter Rayno, one of the Merv Lopes Kauai Hoops Classic referees. “He grew from last year, and he’s only a sophomore?”
Kamaka, the son of Utqiagvik Warriors’ coach Roland Hepa, rattled off 13 of his team-high score in the first half. He got help from Kevin Goodwin who fired off 11 points, including a second-half trey, along Kevin Gordon netting 11 points, including a first-half three-ball, and Rayhenry Snow posting 11 points, including a second-half trey.
Austin Peters of Imua White, suffering its second straight loss, matched Hepa’s performance, finishing with 15 points on five treys.
But the win was bittersweet as the Utquagvik Division 1 team suffered a 30-28 loss Thursday to host Team Central coached by Ipo Yoshioka.
Other division 1 scores on the opening day included the Kona Stingrays taking a 43-27 win over Imua White, Imua Orange being 53-49 better than the Aiea Blazers who face the victorious Team Central in the Friday nightcap at the Kauai High School gym.
Upcountry Elite was a 50-31 winner over WBC to wrap up Division 1 matches.
The Utqiagvik Warriors redeemed the division 1 heartbreaker when its Division 2 squd vanquished WBC, 60-39.
Team Dream was a 46-38 winner over the Kona Stingrays, Upcountry Elite posted a 43-27 win over the Aiea Blazers, the Solana Beach Cats snuffed the Maui Sparks, 34-24, Central Hoops got past Imua White 26-17, and Imua Orange rolled over Team Central, 54-21 to round out Division 2 play.
Team Central was looking for redemption, facing the Solana Beach Cats in a late Friday matchup.
“They’re getting better,” said Coach Clarence Sales. “We took them out for tournaments. This is their third tournament after returning from the Aiea tournament. Earlier in March, we took them to Kona for the tournament, there.”
Division 3 play saw the Upcountry Elite a 54-46 winner over Papalina, the Kahului Falcons soaring past the Kona Stingrays, 42-27, the Upcountry Elite taking a 52-42 win over Kiawe Heat, Papalina holding off the Dream Hoops Elite, 42-36, the Court Kings taking a 40-22 win over Team Central, and the Team Dream being a 54-23 winner over Imua.
The Lihue Kamikaze, coached by Keven Hanano, was three points better than Da Tsunami whose members are made up primarily of the Kauai High School girls JV team, 29-26. Upcountry Elite handed the Waimea girls a 21-17 defeat, and Imua rolled over Kaulupono, 46-21 in the girls play.
Action continues at the Wilcox Gym at Island School, the Kauai High School gym, and the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center as the tournament enters its playoffs starting from 8:30 a.m.
Championship games take place Sunday afternoon.
