KALAHEO — With just 11 seconds peeled off the overtime clock, Derek Rapozo launched the game-winning three-ball from the corner to give the Tamba Warriors a 30-27 win before an unbelieving crowd Tuesday during the summer youth basketball league games
KALAHEO — With just 11 seconds peeled off the overtime clock, Derek Rapozo launched the game-winning three-ball from the corner to give the Tamba Warriors a 30-27 win before an unbelieving crowd Tuesday during the summer youth basketball league games at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
The result saw the Kauai Thunder split its two-game outing after, earlier in the night, the Thunder’s sixth-grade boys wrapped up a 39-23 win over Westside behind Joshua Rego nailing 17 points, including three from outside the three-point arc. Aukai Arruda and Isaac Mirey helped the Thunder sixth-graders with seven points apiece.
Three balls rained in the humid Kalaheo night as Josiah Delos Reyes, leading the Westside effort, finished with two second-half bombs toward his game-total 12 points. Kelani Lewis nailed a trey to keep Westside to a 10-point deficit at the break, ending the evening with seven points.
Another trey, this one from Zylan Pa-Conant, saw Tamba roll to a 15-10 bulge over the Thunder eighth grade boys at the break.
The Thunder battled back from its first half where a pair of injuries depleted its six-player bench and the whiteshirts were limited to just one-for-eight at the charity line.
Adjustments at the break saw the Thunder capitalize on Tamba turnovers, and with just 11 ticks peeled off the second half, Tyrus Duran, finishing the night with 15 points for the Thunder, deadlocked the match on a plus-one. The Thunder continued to surge ahead on its quickness on the court.
A late-game scoring exchange, including the Thunder’s Aiden Nalu Aguano and Duran going one-for-one on the foul line ended when Tamba’s Mason Doo forced the overtime in heavy traffic when his sphere dropped through the twine.
Duran finished with high-point honors for the Thunder on 15 points followed by Shayden Peralta ending with six points.
Anthony Durocher, leading Tamba with six first-half points, finished with eight points for high-point honors in the win. Doo and Vincent Noguchi added five points apiece, and Kaison Matsushima and Rapozo finished with four points, including the game-winning overtime trey.
Another nail-biter closed the doors to the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center when Skylyn Fagarang dropped her pair at the buzzer to give the Ao uka Rebels eighth-grade girls a 25-23 edge over the hard-pressing Dream Team who had a strong inside game led by Olivia Malafu who ended the night on nine points. Jaley Medeiros led the Rebels’ win on 17 points.
