LIHU‘E — Kaua‘i High School player Hema Naka‘ahiki-Young finished with a game-high 12 points in a losing effort on Wednesday in a Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls’ basketball game won by the visiting Waimea High School girls, 42-16.
Playing before an audience that included the Red Raider boys basketball team, Naka‘ahiki-Young’s effort was bolstered by just three other buckets that dropped in the second half when the Raider ladies marked 17 points to Waimea’s 13 points.
The Menehune came on strong, pouring in 18 points in the opening quadrant by six of its feisty players. The team was led by Kiaura Rita-Ortiz, who finished the contest as the Menehune’s high point person on 10 points. Rita-Ortiz dropped six points in the first quarter, getting help from Leah Guerrero and Tyra Valencia, who bombed the hoop from outside the three-point arc in the stanza.
Physically aggressive and quick, the blueshirts held the Raiders to just four points in that opening frame.
The Menehune continued to build on that 18-4 lead with Guard Hailey Mata leading the charge in the second quarter with four of her game-total six points. Waimea outplayed the Raiders, 11-5 toward the 29-9 halftime lead.
Helping Rita-Ortiz, Guerrero added eight marks on a pair of treys. Menehune tall post Ari Acosta added seven points, and Mata ended with six points.
On the Raiders’ scorecard, Cairee Quinones marked four points before fouling out of the contest, and Jazlyn Corpuz was 3-for-11 at the foul line. Chayley Jacobs, Jadelyn Reynolds, and Lailah Kalani each marked pairs, and a digit from Jessa Constantino rounded out the effort.
Next on the calendar, Waimea High School hosts Kapa‘a, Friday night at Clem Gomes Gym with a single contest that tips off at 6:30 p.m.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
