KAPA‘A — Sophia Badua poured in 21 points, Friday night to lead the mixed red (Kaua‘i junior varsity girls) to a 62-21 win over the mixed white (Kapa‘a JV girls) during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls basketball games at the Bernice Hundley Gym on the grounds of the Kapa‘a High School campus.
The mixed designation was a result of Kapa‘a not having sufficient eligible players, and having to “borrow” players from visiting Kaua‘i High School.
Clawing back from 0-17 first-quarter and 4-31 later deficits, the mixed white crew put up its points behind nine points, including a pair of three-balls from Taira Samiano dropping in the second half. Kawai Medeiros dropped six points, including two buckets in the second half, and Aliyah Bredman, Kelana Pia-Salvador and Edyn Naka‘ahiki added buckets.
Cairee Quinones dumped 18 points to follow Badua’s lead, with Samiano netting seven first-quarter points for the mixed red before crossing over to the mixed white.
In varsity play, Kaua‘i High won, 45-37.
Kapa‘a’s inside post Olivia Malafu found 14 points, but her scoring was limited to just three quarters, and guard Hailey Overmyer found her distance mark in the third quarter, nailing a pair from outside the three-point mark in the second half en route to her 10 points game total.
Jada Nakamura added nine points to the effort that came up eight points short for Kapa‘a.
Tasia Kamoku, sharing point guard duty with Overmyer, finished with a pair in the final stanza where Kapa‘a outgunned Kaua‘i 7-5, and Auli‘i Takenaka finished with a pair.
Kate-Lynn Colipano, getting upgraded to the Kaua‘i varsity roster during the Wednesday contest, sparked the action for the Red Raiders, netting four points in the first quarter when Kaua‘i started building on a three-point bulge, 12-9.
Colipano went on to finish with high-point honors for Kaua‘i with a game total dozen points followed by Denise Alfonso marking 10 points before leaving the contest on an injury.
Hema Naka‘ahiki-Young added a hard-earned seven marks, including a perfect 3-for-3 showing at the foul line. Jaley Medeiros fired off a three-ball and two buckets in the first half for her seven-point contribution, and Kadee Parubrub netted a trey in the final stanza toward her five-point showing.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
