KAPA‘A — “The last time we played them (Kilauea Hui), we lost by one,” Westside Hornet coach Maynard Shea noted while watching the Kilauea team nail down the second final KYBA Girls 14 Under slot Tuesday night at the Bernice
KAPA‘A — “The last time we played them (Kilauea Hui), we lost by one,” Westside Hornet coach Maynard Shea noted while watching the Kilauea team nail down the second final KYBA Girls 14 Under slot Tuesday night at the Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a. “But, we lost our tall girl with four minutes left to play,” he mused, his brain obviously grinding out a game plan for the Saturday 11 a.m. tipoff for the title of the KYBA Girls 14 Under basketball program.
“They’re dangerous,” Hornet coach Antonio Pope added. “They’re all tall, and they’re quick. The one who’s not the same height is a shooter! And, they all rebound!” Coach Mits Yokotake, nursing a raspy voice, was a bit more light-hearted, “They’ve been playing together for three years, now.” That experience clearly showed among the undefeated Kilauea Hui who controlled the Kaumakani Supersonics, 45-28, the Supersonics pulling to within three points at one point in the third quarter before the Hui went on a shooting spree that sealed the fate of the Westside 12Under team that was “playing up.”
“They’re a good team,” Yokotake said. “Karen (Matsumoto) said, ‘You can’t sell them short.’ They came back from a 21-point deficit against the Comets in the 12 Under finals to drop the title by two points, and to make this game, they bumped the Hornets by a point.” Caroline Troutman’s strategic posting yielded a game-high 12 points to lead the Hui win, Kirstie Daly adding ten points to the effort. Kimiko Kuwabara, the hard-shooting guard netted eight with Kieren Pond finishing with six, and Kapua Chandler, the other Hui guard adding five. April Johnson rounded out the Hui books with four points.
Aiko Grande was held to nine points in the Kaumakani loss, the low post fouling out with 34 seconds showing to give Kori Sakamoto some playing time. Lorrine Lagoc-Agrade withstood the torrid three-quarter court press by the Kilauea trees to add six points followed by Sera Pascual and Joanna Jacinto each closing the night with five-point showings. A pair by Jayme Jacinto rounded out the math. Guard Tori Espino led the Hornets to their 34-24 victory over Wailua with ten points to set the championship stage scheduled for Saturday at Kapa‘a High School.
The pair of Hornet posts Britney Yadao-Lanning and Chalyn Kua added seven and six points respectively in the win, Lanning celebrating her 14th birthday with her hoop sisters.
Mai‘lika Napoleon led the Wailua charge with nine points followed by Jondi Das and Hanalei Gomes each chipping in five points.
Saturday’s games will see Wailua and Kaumakani battle for the third place spot in the KYBA Girls 14 Under program with that game tipping off at 10 a.m. followed by the Hornets and Hui meeting for the program championship starting at 11 a.m.
