LIHU’E – Freshman guard Joshua Bradbury scored 11 points in the final quarter and the Kaua’i Red Raiders staved off a late Menehune rally to improve to 3-0 on the season with a 61-49 home victory over Waimea Friday evening in KIF prep boys junior varsity basketball play.
In a quick-paced contest that saw the determined Menehune battle back from a 9-0 opening deficit to eventually take a 46-45 fourth quarter lead on a James Henriques putback, Bradbury calmly answered with a long trey from the right wing with 3:25 left to give the Raiders the lead for good.
Max Hadwin paced a quartet of Raiders in double figures with a game high 17 points while Brandon Ballesteros added 13, Lance Okasaki tallied 12, and Bradbury chipped in with 11. Kaua’i forward Kalau Hammond led all players with 9 rebounds.
Point guard Aaron Hesapene dropped in a team-high 16 points and grabbed 5 boards for the Menehune. Chad Barba and Henriques also shared a squad-leading 5 caroms apiece.
The Menehune, who fell to 0-3, host the Kapa’a Warriors (1-1) next Tuesday, January 21, at the Clem Gomes Gym with tip-off set for 5:30 p.m.
Scoring Summary
WAIMEA: Lahip 2, Barba 2, Soto 4, Hesapene 16, Ho’okano 0, Tsuchiya 2, Rull 2, Henriques 3, Pigao 4, Acoba 6, Girod 2, Vidinha 6.
KAUA’I: Nishi 0, Nonaka 0, Kalili 1, Lee 2, Bradbury 11, Ballesteros 13, Okasaki 12, Sakimae DNP, Senda 3, Penn 0, Beralas 0, DeCosta 0, Hammond 2, Hadwin 17.
