WAIMEA — “One more game and we tie for the second round,” Kori Sakamoto chanted following their 35-26 win over Kapa‘a Friday night. For the second straight outing, Waimea JV girls earned a victory, controlling Kapa‘a from the onset and
WAIMEA — “One more game and we tie for the second round,” Kori Sakamoto chanted following their 35-26 win over Kapa‘a Friday night.
For the second straight outing, Waimea JV girls earned a victory, controlling Kapa‘a from the onset and getting a game-high 14 points from Joanna Andres.
Waimea’s first game came a week ago when they eked out a 39-34 win over the Kaua‘i JV squad, blemishing the Junior Raiders’ undefeated streak this season.
Sakamoto and Sera Pascual led Waimea early with a 10-5 opening frame against the Junior Warriors. In that period, Sakamoto netted 4 points with Pascual adding 3 points and Andres nailing a three-point bomb.
The Menehune’s tenacious defense limited Kapa‘a to just a pair of buckets from Kira Nakamura who went on to lead the Junior Warrior effort with a game-total 11 points, including a trey in the second period.
That trey was a high point for Kapa‘a as the second period was the only frame they outscored Waimea 7-6.
Nakamura got help from Lahela Creamer who scored her game-total pair in that period. But the effort still left Kapa‘a chasing 4 points, 16-12 at the half.
Waimea put the cap on their victory in the final period, outscoring Kapa‘a 11-8 behind 6 points from Andres and Brandi Briones netting her only bucket in that period.
Following Andres, Waimea got 8 points from Sakamoto, 3 points each from Pascual, Arlene Valmoja and Kathleen Singson. Pairs from Briones and Elisha Nabeshima rounded out the Waimea math.
Tori Tuttle followed Nakamura’s lead for Kapa‘a with 8 points followed by Leina‘ala McCabe adding 4, Creamer with her pair and a digit from Shalyn Tupou.
Waimea will attempt to repeat its win over Kaua‘i Tuesday night when they board the bus for the Raiderdome.
Kaua‘i can still clinch the JV league title with one more victory.
They have two more games on tap, the first against Waimea starting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.
