Stephens Media’s Bill O’Rear contributed to this report.
FOUL SHOTS PLAY KEY PART IN HPA WIN
WHT STAFF REPORTS
Senior guard Dakota Berman scored 18 points, senior Tyler VanKirk added 14, and Hawaii Prep went 26-of-37 from the free throw line to beat Kohala 52-47 in a Big Island Interscholastic Federation boys basketball game Friday in Kapaau.
Berman went 10-of-14 from the free-throw line and hit two 3-pointers, while VanKirk buried 10 of 13 shots from the charity stripe for HPA (5-3), which trailed 39-36 after three quarters before rallying past the Cowboys (6-2) in the final period.
Junior guard Makani Kualii led Kohala with 10 points, and senior forward Chris Roxburgh added nine.
The Cowboys went 17-for-29 from the free-throw line.
In the JV game, HPA beat Kohala 63-52.
HPA 9 13 14 16 — 52
Kohala 10 14 15 8 — 47
— Hilo 62, Waiakea 60: Sophomore Jodd Carter answered a call for a miracle and banked in a 52-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift Hilo.
Carter picked up a loose ball in the backcourt after two missed Hilo shots in the final 12 seconds, dribbled past two Waiakea defenders and launched a line-drive shot that banked in as the buzzer sounded.
The incredible game-winner stunned the Warriors (4-7) and ignited a big celebration by the Vikings (6-3) and their fans.
Carter led Hilo with 18 points. Rico Loeak followed Carter with 16 points. Kainoa Kawaha scored 11, and Jalen Carvalho added 10.
Lucas St. George had 18 points to lead Waiakea. Dillon Rellez added 13 points.
Waiakea won the JV game 39-38.
Waiakea 16 15 17 12 — 60
Hilo 17 12 5 28 — 62
— Honokaa 54, Konawaena 43: At Honokaa, Keanu Freitas scored 15 points, and Isaiah Meyer had 10 to lead the Division II Dragons (3-6) to the upset and hand Konawaena (7-1) its first loss in the West Hawaii standings.
Keenan Gaspar scored 18 points, and Brenton Shropshire had 10 to lead Konawaena.
Honokaa won the JV game 45-42.
Konawaena 4 10 12 16 — 43
Honokaa 5 15 15 19 — 54
— Pahoa 57, Ka’u 43: At Pahoa, junior Maverick Tebelak scored 17 points, and junior Nick Fisher had 12 to lead the Daggers (7-3).
Alika Kaopua scored 10 points to lead the Trojans (2-8).
Pahoa won the JV game 44-30.
Ka’u 8 13 9 13 — 43
Pahoa 19 12 12 14 — 57
Stephens Media’s Bill O’Rear contributed to this report.