Goal scoreres for HAAS (0-8-1) were not available.
BY JOE FERRARO | WEST HAWAII TODAY
KAPAAU — Kohala’s team kept counterpunching, responding with a run every time it seemed Konawaena might put Thursday’s boys basketball game out of reach.
However, the Wildcats’ 3-point barrage in the third quarter put the Cowboys in a hole they couldn’t escape.
Konawaena went 5-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc in the third quarter, helping the Wildcats open up a 14-point lead and turn back Kohala 63-54 in a battle of undefeated Big Island Interscholastic Federation teams.
Senior Kenan Gaspar led Konawaena (5-0) with 17 points and eight rebounds, and Viliamu Uulopa collected 12 points, four assists and four rebounds while playing only in the second half.
Uulopa hit one of the Wildcats’ five 3-pointers in the third quarter. The other four helped Konawaena pull away after Kohala junior Jeremiah Kanehailua-Torres hit a layup that got the Cowboys (4-1) within 34-32 with 4 minutes, 20 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
The Wildcats responded with a 14-4 run to take a 48-34 advantage with 1:40 left in the period. Sophomore guard Brandon Awa, who also had seven assists, nailed two treys from the right wing, and junior guard Trevor Tanaka drained back-to-back 3s from the left corner.
“It was just ball movement and making the defense move,” Gaspar said.
Awa and sophomore guard Pookela Hanato-Smith each finished with eight, while Tanaka and junior Nick Mims had six points apiece.
Konawaena needed every bit of its balanced scoring attack.
Sophomore Jonah Bredeson, a slashing forward who also shoots well from the perimeter, injured his back during practice on Monday and sat out Thursday’s game. Uulopa missed practice the same day. According to team rules, Wildcats who miss practice must sit out a half in the team’s next game.
“In the second half, I told myself, ‘Bring it hard, get this win'” Uulopa said. “We needed it.”
Also, Konawaena coach Donny Awa demanded more scoring from Gaspar.
“I told Kenan, ‘It’s your turn to look to score. Be aggressively offensively, but be smart'” Donny Awa said.
Gaspar did so in the first quarter, after Kohala’s full-court pressure initially gave the Wildcats some problems. Konawaena had 10 turnovers in the first period as the Cowboys jumped out to a 9-6 lead. Gaspar then scored nine points during an 11-0 Konawaena run that carried into the second quarter and put the Wildcats up 17-9 with 7:23 left in the first half.
Kohala never took the lead again, but the Cowboys maintained their composure, patiently working for shots when Konawaena threatened to blow the game wide open.
After the Wildcats’ 11-0 spurt, junior Makani Kualii got the Cowboys within 19-17 with a layup after Kohala recovered a loose ball.
Then after Hanato-Smith helped Konawaena build a 27-17 lead later in the second quarter with six quick points, Kohala closed out the half on a 6-0 run.
Kualii and junior Kalai Kapeliela each scored 10 points, senior Chris Roxburgh added eight, and freshman Kealen Figueroa had seven.
Konawaena shot 49 percent from the field (25-of-51), while Kohala shot 45 percent (21-of-46).
“We fought hard, we just didn’t shoot the ball well,” Cowboys coach Don Fernandez said. “But I’m glad with our effort.”
In the JV game, Kohala beat Konawaena 38-37.
Konawaena 13 14 23 13 — 63
Kohala 9 12 15 18 — 54
Kealakehe 47, Honokaa 45: Nalu Marks hit a game-winning jumper with 2.9 seconds left to give the host Waveriders the win. No other information was available.
In JV action, Honokaa beat Kealakehe 49-48 in overtime.
Hilo 98, Keaau 81: Jalen Carvalho scored 21 points, hitting three 3-pointers, while Jodd Carter added 12 and Austin Dante chipped in 11 for the host Vikings (4-2).
Cliff Eriksson led the Cougars (1-6) with 29 points, including 22 in a marvelous first half. Iikai Calip added 12 points and Nelson Enos had 11.
In the junior-varsity game, it was Hilo 43, Keaau 37.
Keaau 20 17 17 17 — 81
Hilo 24 22 18 24 — 98
Waiakea 53, St. Joseph 47: Rylan Kawazoe scored 13 points and Lucas St. George 11 to lead the Warriors (3-5).
Thomas Fairman scored 29 points to lead the Cardinals (3-4).
St. Joseph 8 11 17 11 — 47
Waiakea 12 14 13 14 — 53
Kamehameha 72, Ka’u 30: Kekoa Turner scored 16 points to lead the Warriors (7-0).
Holden Galigo scored seven points to lead the Trojans (1-7).
Kamehameha 17 29 13 13 — 72
Ka’u 8 6 6 10 — 30
Soccer
Hilo 1, Christian Liberty 0: The Vikings finally got the score they needed to secure one postseason goal.
The shutout could help them snag an even bigger one down the road.
Senior Eddie Torrison scored with six minutes left Thursday at Hilo Bayfront.
A draw would have felt like a loss for the Vikings (10-0-1). Instead, they clinched at least the No. 2 seed and home playoff match in the BIIF Division I semifinals. Just as important, they kept pace with Kealakehe (7-0-1) in the race for the top seed.
Hilo goalkeepers Mikah Hatcher and Johann Kuipers shut out the Canefire (4-2-2).
Honokaa 8, Hawaii Academy of Arts & Science 2: The Dragons got goals from eight different scorers to win at home.
Robert Connors, Pedro Sanches, Dylan Shiraki, Nino Quijano, Justin Warren, Chayce Moniz, Dylan Oandasan and Kodi Springer all scored for the Dragons.
Goal scoreres for HAAS (0-8-1) were not available.