Shaky ball handling and poor passing led to a game filled with turnovers Friday night, but Kealakehe managed to ride the 3-point shot to a 69-49 BIIF home victory over Kohala.
Shaky ball handling and poor passing led to a game filled with turnovers Friday night, but Kealakehe managed to ride the 3-point shot to a 69-49 BIIF home victory over Kohala.
The Waveriders had four players in double-digits by the end of the night, despite the team not scoring for the first four minutes of the game. Jonah Kaulia and Blaine Broberg led the way with 15 points each. Richard Kaiawe-Lakuau and Michael Jacinto added 10 apiece.
“Jonah and Blaine are our two captains and are the glue to our system and what we are trying to accomplish,” said Kealakehe assistant coach Keola Oka. “They are incredible basketball players and quite frankly we really appreciate the way they play.”
The team knocked down six shots from beyond the arc and put up one of their highest scoring games so far this season.
“We got lucky there,” Oka said. “We really try to capitalize inside out because we are one of the bigger teams in the league, but if it is open we are going to take it.”
The Cowboys fought to the end but struggled from the free throw line. Maui Hook led Kohala with 14 points and Kainalu Emeliano-Solomon followed with 13.
Neither team could find its shot early in the first quarter. The first point was scored three minutes into the game when Kohala’s Emeliano-Solomon went 1-for-2 from the free throw line. Kealakehe finally broke through at the four minute mark when Kaiawe-Kalua’u knocked down a shot from behind the arc. The 3-pointer was the start of a 7-0 run by the Waveriders as Broberg hit a short jumper and followed with a layup on the ensuing possession.
Kaiawe-Lakuau carried Kealakehe in the back half of the opening quarter, knocking down a 3-pointer and rolling in a layup. Chance Pang tried to keep the Cowboys close with a trey and a layup, but a return layup from Kealakehe big man Abraham Kalavi and a steal and roll in by Jacinto gave the Waveriders a 17-9 lead at the end of the first.
The second quarter opened with both teams trying to force the ball quickly down court which resulted in several ill-advised passes that were picked off. Kohala cut the deficit to four with shots by Emeliano-Solomon and Isaiah Salvador, but Kealakehe answered with a 10 point run to go up 27-14. Dante Bohany and Broberg knocked down a pair of 3-pointers on the backend of the scoring streak.
Kaulia got hot late in the quarter, dropping two points on a layup and nailing a wide open 3. The Cowboys had plenty of opportunities to keep the game as they headed to the free throw line on several occasions. However the team struggled shooting, and the Waveriders 37-20 at the half.
Kealakehe’s Kaulia continued his roll after the break with back-to-back putbacks to put his team up by 20. Defenses started to break down late in the third, allowing both teams to share quick baskets. A layup by Jacinto gave the Waveriders a 53-30 lead with a quarter to play.
Kohala’s Hook opened the fourth with a quick trey, but Kealakehe’s Kobe Antolin answered back with a 3-point play after getting fouled on a layup. After the scores, the game reverted back to early first quarter play as both teams struggled to put the ball in the net. Kohala finally broke the scoreless streak when Emeliano-Solomon knocked down a jumper. Kealakehe answered with shots from Bohany and Broberg.
The Waveriders stretched their lead to 25 with three minutes to play when Sanjay Thompson rolled in a layup for a 64-39 advantage.
Trying to spark a late comeback, Kohala’s Hook hit his second 3-pointer of the half. Kealakehe’s Jacinto followed with a 3-point play after picking up a foul on a layup with a minute to go. The Cowboys continued to fight but the Kealakehe lead was insurmountable. The Waveriders won by 20.
Konawaena 39, Keaau 35
Austin Ewing scored 10 points as the Wildcats survived a tough road test against Keaau.
The teams played fairly even until the fourth quarter, where Konawaena limited the Cougars to just four points.
Charles Caldwell netted 12 for Keaau in the loss.
Waiakea 66, Kamehameha 62
Waiakea defeated Kamehameha 66-62 in a BIIF Division I basketball thriller on Friday night at the Warriors Gym.
Last Monday, the Warriors, who didn’t qualify for the HHSAA state tournament last year, thumped three-time defending BIIF champion Konawaena 60-44.
Kahinu Alapai had a monster game with 22 points, Louie Ondo added 13 while Calvin Mattos and Noah Ferreira each had 11 points for Waiakea (4-0), which shot 51 percent (24 of 47) from the field and made 16 of 25 free throws.
Pukana Vincent drained four 3-pointers and finished with 22 points while Solomon Escalante chipped in 11 points and Nalu Kahapea had eight points for Kamehameha (3-2), which converted 51 percent (23 of 45) from floor and hit 6 of 11 free throws.