KALAHEO — Briggs Agu finished with a game-high 21 points to lead Westside to a 25-21 edge over the Westside Hornets, Monday. That nail-biter was followed by Kamea Palama-Alquiza finishing with 18 points as Papalina-Blue held off the Kaua‘i Ballers,
KALAHEO — Briggs Agu finished with a game-high 21 points to lead Westside to a 25-21 edge over the Westside Hornets, Monday.
That nail-biter was followed by Kamea Palama-Alquiza finishing with 18 points as Papalina-Blue held off the Kaua‘i Ballers, 34-25 in the county’s 11 and Under boys basketball games at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Agu was just one of three players who scored for the Westside, Zechariah Ponting and Joel Sariano each nailing second-half buckets to help the victory.
Both teams opened with a 2-2 first frame, Agu getting the opener which was matched by Reymund Mendoza who topped the Westside Hornets’ scoring with 10 points.
After Westside pulled ahead with a 5-1 second frame, Agu netting all the points, the Hornets answered with a 4-0 third frame to knot the contest, 7-7 at the half.
That jockeying continued throughout the night, the Hornets coming to within a digit in the final frame, but a turnover with .2 seconds remaining forced Agu to the charity stripe where he put the game out of reach with two swishers.
Following Mendoza, the Hornets got balanced scoring from five players, Keoni Gaoiran adding three. Ned Ardino, Manu Lee, Kelly Ragasa and B.J. Ortiz each paired in the effort.
“You folks were that close,” said Steven Matsumoto of the scorer’s table, indicating the closeness with his thumb and forefingers to Hornets coach Antonio Pope.
“It was my fault,” Pope replied. “I had the wrong lineup in the final period. The boys played well, but that’s the way it goes.”
That same scenario repeated itself in the second game as the Kaua‘i Ballers came back from a nine-point halftime deficit, 16-7, to pull within a digit in the final two minutes of the fifth period before Papalina-Blue held off the challenge.
Jonah Howard found the net from the top of the key in the final two minutes of the fifth period to pull the Kaua‘i Ballers to a 19-18 deficit.
But Palama-Alquiza answered with a bucket to widen the gap, 22-18.
Howard suffered a game-stopping injury under the Papalina-Blue net, but after shaking off the bump, could not get back in sync.
That momentary stoppage came back when Noah Thompson, ringed by heavy Ballers defenders, launched a shot from outside the arc, his tiny body wobbling from the effort and a foul on the defend.
That satellite, launched with about two minutes to play, slipped through the twine, igniting fans across the gym as Thompson notched his only game points with the launch.
“You give me chicken skin,” said Noah Sasil, a Papalina-White player who watched the game with Jessem Cumlat whose brother was playing guard for Papaline-Blue. “What you wen step on? I wanna step that, too.”
Jessem nodded his head in agreement, noting the play was “very nice.”
Joseph Cumlat, Jessem’s brother, followed Palama-Alquiza in scoring with 10 points, including a three-ball and a bucket in the final period. Thompson’s fan-rousing three-ball, a pair from Braden Pagador and a digit from Trey Taba rounded out the win.
Les Aki and Howard led the Ballers with six points apiece, followed by Noah Rall adding five final period points. Kurt Napoleon finished with four second-half points. Hunter Bethel and Cullen Kitamura each paired in the effort.
The Kaua‘i Ballers next match up with the Hornets, tonight beginning at 7 p.m. at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. That game will follow the Westside’s game against Papalina-White that opens the doors at 6 p.m.
