LIHU‘E — Waimea High School and Kapa‘a High School posted victories in Kaua‘i Interscholastic boys basketball games played on Friday night at Clem Gomes Gym in Waimea and Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a.
Waimea Menehune took control of the opening tipoff, and then surged to a 65-51 win over the Island School Voyagers for its fourth consecutive win in the KIF second round.
Over at the Kapa‘a campus, the Warriors’ Keaka Kauhane coughed up three critical free throws in the final seconds of play to hold off Kaua‘i High School for a 54-50 victory — Kapa‘a’s third in the KIF second round.
The Red Raiders stayed close to the Warriors in the first half, entering the break down 29-24. They emerged from the locker rooms reenergized and fired off a 15-11 showing over Kapa‘a in the third quarter before the Warriors slowed down the game and held off any intentions of coming back.
Earlier in the night, the Kaua‘i junior varsity won a see-saw contest, 48-46, behind tKarter Reichle who posted 11 points and Daelin Grace with eight points.
Naki Tuulangavalu topped the JV Warriors effort with 14 points, followed by John Ibe with 12 points, including a four-for-four showing at the charity stripe.
Scores for the JV contest played at Clem Gomes Gym were not available.
On the varsity court, Reimel Camacho picked up game-high scoring honors with 22 points to lead Kapa‘a. Austin Green fired off a trio of long-distance bombs toward his 11-point scoring contribution in the game.
Tristen Scully, the normal long distance bomber, finished with just a pair of treys toward his total eight points.
Keaka Kauhane, masterfully piloting the ball just out of reach of the Red Raiders in the final stanza, finished with nine points, including going five-for-six in the charity stripe in the final frame.
Camran Holt-Ho topped the Kaua‘i scoring on 17 points, followed by Kalaikea Esteban with nine points. Joshua Rego, thrilling the audience with a dunk in the first quarter, finished with seven marks, including the sole 3-ball marked by the Red Raiders.
On the Menehune courts, Island School’s Lucas Summerhayes posted the game-high 28 points, including four 3-balls. He was followed by Garrett Hadley with 12 points, including a trio of treys. Matthew Dobashi followed with five points, including a lone 3-ball.
Despite being outscored on the 3-ball, eight treys from the Voyagers to the Menehune’s five, Waimea’s victory was led by Lindcey Constantino, who posted 20 points. Mykah Brun finished with 15 points. Jeydon Moises finished with 11 points, including three of Waimea’s 3-balls. Kelani Lewis dropped the remaining two treys toward his 10-point contribution to the win.
The results of Friday night’s contests sets up a crucial matchup on Tuesday when the Warriors travel to face Waimea at Clem Gomes Gym.
Kapa‘a, the current first round title holder, suffered a two-point loss at the hands of Waimea during a Jan. 27 contest, 74-72, in the second round. Waimea is undefeated in the second round after ending the first round with one win and five losses.
Kaua‘i High School will travel to Wilcox Gymnasium for the second Tuesday night contest.
The JV games tip off starting at 5:30 p.m. at both sites, followed by the varsity contest.
