KALAHEO — Mai‘lika Napoleon came up with a long distance bomb and a bucket to combine with Jondi Das’ four points as Wailua exploded for 14 third quarter points to rise above the tenacious Kalama defense enroute to a 33-24
KALAHEO — Mai‘lika Napoleon came up with a long distance bomb and a bucket to combine with Jondi Das’ four points as Wailua exploded for 14 third quarter points to rise above the tenacious Kalama defense enroute to a 33-24 win as the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association (KYBA) opened up the first night of a three-day 14 Under girls basketball tournament Thursday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
However, Kalama adjusted their defense and held Napoleon to just three fourth quarter points while Das chalked up another pair of field goals to ice the victory, Napoleon finishing with high point honors for Wailua on 11 points followed by Das at eight markers.
Kira Nakamura added five points with Leilani Laranio and Emmalia Donigan each finishing with three points in the win.
Kalama guard Anuhea Rilveria topped the visiting Maui squad with ten points followed a digit back by Shannon Walsh closing the books on nine points. Miki Kama came off the bench to add six points, April Demetropoulos added three, and a pair from Randi Vierra figured in the final math.
Lori Yamashita came up with seven of Ikaika’s 11-point first quarter as the visiting team of Kaimuki kept a hard-pressing Kilauea Hui at bay, 24-21, Yamashita finishing the game with high point honors at 13 points.
Kilauea answered the 11-4 first quarter bulge with an 8-2 second frame behind four points from Kimiko Kuwabara and a bucket each off Danielle Jure and Kieren Pond only to have Ikaika ice the win in the 4-2 final stanza, Yamashita accounting for all of the Kaimuki squad’s marks.
Cloe Martin added five points for Ikaika, Jessica Letoto chipped in four, and a pair from Chelsy Okuma rounded out the victory.
Pond’s hustle on the court yielded ten points for the Hui followed by Jure and Kuwabara finishing with four points apiece.
Guard Sarah Tangalin chipped in three in the effort.
Sanoe Keliinoi and Ashlyn Ubongen combined for four points each to build up a seven point lead after three quarters for the Kauai Fire Raiders only to have Kaumakani answer in the final frame with an 11-4 run to force the contest into overtime, Joanna Andres leading the Supersonic charge with a trey and a bucket, and Chaelyn Briones fueling the drive with a bomb from three-pointland.
But, no field goals and a paltry one-for-four showing at the free throw line took its toll on the Raiders as Kaumakani got a bucket from Sera Pascual in the two-minute OT to take a 24-23 win into the locker rooms.
Andres, nursing a bruised elbow, topped the Supersonic scoring with eight points followed by Pascual’s six points. Jaymie Jacinto, who was avidly cheering on petite Ana Kama of Kalama, added four points, Briones closed with three, a pair from Aiko Grande, and a digit by Lorrine Lagoc-Agrade rounded out the victory.
Keliinoi topped the Fire Raiders’ performance with eight points followed by Tiffany Ikeda adding six. Ubongen closed the books with four, Brandi Gomes finished with a pair, and a digit from Tristan Rosare figured in the final numbers.
The tournament continues with the championship game scheduled to tip off at noon, Saturday, Aug. 21 at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. First games tip off at 10 a.m.