KAILUA-KONA — The inaugural Big Island Classic, featuring some of the best small college teams in the nation, kicked off Tuesday at Kealakehe High School. The Classic served as a homecoming of sorts for former Hawaii Preparatory Academy player and 2014 graduate Kalan Camero, who suits up for the host school, Menlo College.
KAILUA-KONA — The inaugural Big Island Classic, featuring some of the best small college teams in the nation, kicked off Tuesday at Kealakehe High School. The Classic served as a homecoming of sorts for former Hawaii Preparatory Academy player and 2014 graduate Kalan Camero, who suits up for the host school, Menlo College.
The Oaks, based out of California, took on the Benedictine University Eagles (Illinois) in the second game on opening day at Waverider Gym, and it was worth the trip, with the Oaks winning 72-70 off a buzzer-beating layup.
Camero, a sophomore, played 12 minutes, recording four rebounds and an assist in the victory.
“Benedictine was a good team and this was a solid team win for us,” Camero said after the game. “It feels really good to play at Kealakehe again. To come back and play in front of these great fans, and to have family and friends here — it is a really cool feeling.”
Afterward, Camero hopes to show his teammates around the island, with plans to visit volcano as well as taste some of the local grub, specifically loco mocos, shaved ice and malasadas.
The team has already had a little taste of the island and what makes Hawaii such a unique place to visit.
“”We went to Hapuna on Monday and as we are standing on the beach they could see the snow on Mauna Kea through the clouds,” Camero said. “Standing on the beach, in the sun…It was one of the biggest surprises for them.”
The time at the beach didn’t lead to any sluggishness on the court. Menlo came out strong early, taking a 39-28 half time lead off 36 percent shooting from beyond the arc. John Paine, the Oak’s 6-foot-6 freshman guard, led all scorers at the break with nine points.
Camero entered the game for the first time at the six minute mark of the first half. He stayed in the game for four minutes, recording two rebounds and picking up an assist. It was his best stretch of the game offensively, but he would be a defensive asset in the second half.
Benedictine struggled from the floor, shooting 34.5 percent from the field in the first half. However, that changed over the final 20 minutes as the Eagles began their comeback.
As the game ticked away, Benedictine slowly started to close the gap with efficient shooting, and suddenly cold long-range shooting by Menlo, which went 0-for-6 from 3-point range in the second half.
After cutting the deficit to four points with 1:06 to play, Brayden Olson knocked down a trey for Benedictine, which now trailed 70-69.
With 18 seconds on the clock, Adam Reynolds was fouled and went to the line for the Eagles. He hit the first shot and Menlo coach Kaniela Aiona, a Honokaa graduate in his second year as head coach for the Oaks, called a timeout to set up a play.
Reynolds missed the second shot and Menlo was able to get the rebound, but a shot clock malfunction with 15 seconds to go forced a pause in the action.
After a Benedictine timeout, the Oaks inbounded the ball. Ben Graham took the pass and dribbled to the top of the key, and after checking his options, darted toward the basket as several Eagles defenders closed in.
With so many bodies around him, he temporarily disappeared from view, before letting loose a layup with his body severely contorted as the buzzer went off.
Somehow it went in.
All three referees conferred to decide whether he got the shot off in time, and the basket was declared good to give the Oaks the victory.
Paine led all scorers with 18 points. Brad Sawin added 14 and Jeremiah Testa netted 10 for Menlo. Tahron Harvey netted a team high 17 for Benedictine. He was followed by Zach Gornev and Reynolds, who each scored 12.
Menlo will now prepare to take on Northern New Mexico on the final day of the Big Island Classic today at 6 p.m. Northern New Mexico lost in the opening game Tuesday to Indiana Wesleyan, the No. 3 ranked team in the NAIA, 103-78.
Indiana Wesleyan will take on Benedictine at 4 p.m.