WAIMEA – Tori Kagawa scored seven of her game-high 13 points in the decisive final period as the Waimea Menehunes held off a frantic Red Raider comeback by a score of 40-36 in girls junior varsity basketball action Friday night
WAIMEA – Tori Kagawa scored seven of her game-high 13 points in the decisive final period as the Waimea Menehunes held off a frantic Red Raider comeback by a score of 40-36 in girls junior varsity basketball action Friday night at the Clem Gomes gym.
Kagawa also began the contest on a hot streak as her two long treys helped stake the Menehunes to an early 9-4 advantage in the initial quarter.
Kaua’i came storming back in the second with added defensive intensity to go on a 9-0 run and take their biggest lead of the contest at 13-9. Ashley Belisario contributed five points during the four-minute Raider hot streak.
Waimea forward Jessica Jacinto hit a pair of free throws and a put-back before the half to even the contest at 13-all, but an Amber Thronas goal from the left wing and a Lindsay Sugihara’s charity make pushed the Raiders up 16-13.
Mallorie Hepa responded with a bucket underneath off a Jacinto miss to bring the Menehunes within one at intermission.
Both squads battled evenly throughout most of the third period before a late Hepa run (8 points) helped push Waimea up 27-21 going into the final period.
Starlene Kelekoma fueled the late Raider rally as 10 (3 FGs, 3 FTs) of her team-high 12 points came in the fourth.
Kelekomas free throw at the 1:50 mark cut the lead to 37-34 but the Raiders would come no closer as Kagawa answered with a trio of rainbow free throw makes to bump the Waimea lead to six.
Both teams traded charity misses and Kelekomas short baseline jumper with :55 left proved to be the games final score.
Kauai: Janee Correia 0, Sherri Gebauer 0, Stephanie Kashiwabara 0, Kristen Matsunaga 0, Amber Thronas 2, Anna Quibilan 1, Tori Shimabukuro 3, Ashley Belisario 7, Lindsay Sugihara 4, Starlene Kelekoma 12, Kelcie Morita 6, Ashley Silva 0, Shannon Tomacder 0, Alannah Fagarang 1, Alex
Hadwin 0.
Waimea: Melissa Moreno 3, Chantelle Briones 1, Tiana Samio 1, Tori Kagawa 13, Jessica Jacinto 10, Kristine Sison 0, Tiara Kali 0, Jenalyn
Andres 0, Mallorie Hepa 12, Elizabeth Yaris 0, Randi-Ranasha Ortiz 0.
