MENEHUNE FORCE PLAYOFF

WAIMEA — Picking up where she left off Tuesday night, the Menehune’s Janna Soto blistered the twine for 20 points to lead Waimea to a 52-44 win over the Kaua‘i High School Red Raider to force a playoff for the first round title in KIF girls basketball.

That playoff will take place Tuesday night at the Kaua‘i High School Gym with a 7 p.m. tipoff.

Joining Soto, Malorie Hepa also continued her Tuesday night performance by commanding the inside. But, this time, the Menehune got additional support from guard Tiana Samio who finished the night with six points in addition to moving the ball around the court while hustling turnovers.

Moani Durant climbed aboard the Menehune win-wagon with seven second half points towards her night’s 10-point total followed by Hepa’s seven point contribution in the win.

On the outset, Waimea broke the ice by capitalizing on a turnover and held on to the lead forcing the Raiders to insert Ulu Kelekoma in the waning moments of the first quarter, a move that pulled the Raiders to a 12-12 stalemate at the buzzer.

The Menehune worked their defense to force fouls on key Raiders who, despite limited court time from their foul-plagued personnel, managed to take a 26-23 lead at the half on a Sherri Gebauer trey at the buzzer.

Soto paced the Menehune in the second half with two buckets and a trey with Durant adding a trey to pull the Menehune ahead in the third quarter, and despite a strong showing from Kaua‘i’s Holly Iloreta who made her first showing following an injury.

Iloreta finished with eight points, and four fouls all coming in the fourth quarter, to lead Kaua‘i.

Janee Correia and Stephanie Kashiwabara each netted seven points in the loss.

Carie Inouye had nine points to lead the Kaua‘i JV to a 38-32 win with Chrisse Rapozo adding eight, and Darcie Allianic finishing with seven points.

Elysse Sato and Meredith Hudson each had seven points to lead the Waimea JV.