KAPA‘A — Waimea JV’s Joanna Andres sparked a strong comeback Saturday, but the effort fell short 36-29 at the buzzer. Andres nailed two bombs from outside the three-point arc and was 2-for-2 at the charity stripe for 8 of the
KAPA‘A — Waimea JV’s Joanna Andres sparked a strong comeback Saturday, but the effort fell short 36-29 at the buzzer.
Andres nailed two bombs from outside the three-point arc and was 2-for-2 at the charity stripe for 8 of the Junior Menehune’s 13-9 period run over Kapa‘a.
Arlene Valmoja also opened her scorebook with a bucket.
“I was so proud of her, I almost cried,” said Waimea JV player Kori Sakamoto, who fouled out at the 2:30 mark with 4 points.
Sakamoto said the team has a lot of new players, but they keep getting better with each game.
“The rookies are doing a good job of stepping up,” Sakamoto said. “Arlene really stepped up tonight.”
With a height disadvantage, the Menehune relied on the outside shot and Valmoja finished by nailing a pair from outside the three-point stripe in the final period. Overall, Waimea finished with five treys, the final one coming from Sera Pascual early in the game.
That trey kept Waimea in the contest as they finished the first quarter in a 9-9 stalemate, but after being limited to just a Sakamoto digit in the second frame, the team was chasing four points, 14-10 at the half.
Kapa‘a got ignited in the final frame with Kira Nakamura’s three-point bomb and a pair of field goals from low post Tori Tuttle as the Junior Warriors outgunned Waimea 13-6 down the stretch for the win.
Nakamura paced the victory with 10 points followed by Tuttle and Leinaala McCabe chipping in 6 points each.
Shalyn Tupou had a trey in her 4-point game total and guard Mele Yama finished with 3 points. Kasa Pohiva got the crowd going when she netted her pair and a digit from Ash-Lyn Lee rounded out the JV win.
Andres topped the Waimea effort with a lot of hustle to garnish her game-high 11 points followed by Valmoja contributing 8 points and Pascual finishing with 6 points. Sakamoto’s four and a lot of hustle from Brandi Briones rounded out the Waimea effort.
Waimea will be hosting Kaua‘i Tuesday night at the Clem Gomes Gym with the JV game tipping off at 5:30 p.m.
