KALAHEO — Briggs Agu scored 20 points to lead Westside to a 28-23 edge over Papalina-White in the first of two games played in the county’s 11 and Under boys basketball games, Wednesday. Les Aki notched six of his 10
KALAHEO — Briggs Agu scored 20 points to lead Westside to a 28-23 edge over Papalina-White in the first of two games played in the county’s 11 and Under boys basketball games, Wednesday.
Les Aki notched six of his 10 points in the first period to lead the Kaua‘i Ballers to a 29-23 win over the Westside Hornets in the nightcap.
Papalina-White jumped out to a 14-5 first period behind eight points from guard Noah Sasil, including two launches from outside the three-point arc.
Westside answered in the second period when Agu ignited for six points to lead the blueshirts to an 8-2 performance, pulling to within three points.
That margin closed to within a pair at the half.
Westside came back and its tough defense held Papalina-White scoreless in the fourth and fifth frames while netting nine points to overtake the whiteshirts.
Following Agu, Westside got four points from Denez Haley and pairs from Brandon Ijima and Zechariah Ponting.
Papalina’s scoring came from Sasil, who topped the roster with 13 points, including three treys. He was followed by Kai Lewis netting his game-total six points in the first period. Pairs from Daniel Fee and Cyrus Tanigawa rounded out the effort.
Some nights, the buckets don’t drop, and Westside Hornets’ Reymund Mendoza had one of those nights, Wednesday.
Mendoza dropped two buckets in the last 30 seconds and forced a turnover, but the effort came too little, too late as the Kaua‘i Ballers held off the challenge.
Led by Aki’s six-point first frame, the Ballers built up a 14-0 lead before the Hornets found the bucket when Mendoza opened the books late in the second period, followed by a Seaton Farias bucket.
From that point, the pressure was on the Ballers to hold off the comeback effort by the Hornets, who pulled to within nine points, the closest margin before the final 30 seconds.
Following Aki, who finished the night with 10 points, including a sorely-needed bucket in the sixth frame, Jonah Howard netted eight points, six coming in the second half. Noah Rall and Hunter Bethel each finished with four points. Kurt Napoleon had a pair and a digit from Mikela Matayoshi rounded out the win.
Mendoza, feeding other Hornets throughout his court appearance, topped the Hornets with 10 points, including six in the final frame. Farias followed with four points, and Ned Ardino was held to just three points in the final two periods. Pairs from Noah Arruda, Keoni Gaoiran and Kelly Ragasa rounded out the effort.
Team Central hosts Hanakila in the first of two games, Saturday at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center starting at 9 a.m. That game will be followed by Papalina-Blue taking on Lihu‘e starting at 10 a.m.
