KALAHEO — The Kaua‘i Ballers’ Michael Booth had a bucket and two charity shots in the final 40 seconds of play, Tuesday night.
Those shots proved to be the back-breaker for Papalina as Booth broke a 28-28 stalemate at the 40-second mark and iced the 32-28 win with his two free throws at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Voted the Most Valuable Player in the Boys 12 and Under summer league, Booth also knocked down four bombs from three-point land, three coming in the third quarter when the Kaua‘i Ballers pulled ahead, increasing their lead to as many as eight points.
Earlier in the night, Keali‘i Colipano finished with 21 points to help Hanakila sew up third place in the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association summer league for Boys 12 and Under.
Lexton Camat added eight points towards Hanakila’s 37-18 win over Westside Basketball.
Bobby Oliver, the tall man for Westside, pocketed nine points in the effort, followed by Joel Soriano adding four points, guard Jamin Fernandez ending with three and a pair from Kasen Castro rounding out the effort.
Jacob Dykehouse ended the night with four points and pairs from Kai Maroney and Lawrence Abela closed out the Hanakila win.
Joseph Cumlat scored the first bucket for Papalina, breaking the ice on the scoreboard, but that was his only mark of the game, his value coming defensively as he kept the ball movement in check.
The Kaua‘i Ballers responded and pulled out to a 13-9 halftime lead behind what one spectator described as a “cherry picker” by Willo Batol who slipped past Cumlat’s defensive effort.
That margin of four points collapsed in the third period when Booth unleashed his barrage of treys.
Booth finished with 18 of his game-total 23 points coming in the second half.
But Papalina would not roll over, the crowd on both sides enthusiastically cheering on their respective teams as the boys battled on the floor.
Curren Dillberg, the key ball mover for Papalina, was sent to the deck numerous times, a testament to the intensity of play.
That hammering came as Dillberg notched 14 points to lead Papalina, including a final period three-ball.
Kamea Palama-Alquiza, key to the Papalina inside game, Noah Sasil and Daniel Fee, getting the game tied in the final period, each added four points. Cumlat’s opening bucket rounded out the effort.
Booth finished with a game-high 23 points, followed by Batol’s pair of open buckets for four points. Pairs from Brooks Bethel and Les-Lee Aki and a digit from Thomas Yam added to the win.
Tab Matsumoto picked up 33 points to lead C-Town to a 71-64 win in the nightcap, a Men’s 18 and Over game.
The Nite Owls held a 17-14 edge at the end of the first quarter, but C-Town found the three-ball and went on to outdistance the Nite Owls, finishing with five three-balls to the Nite Owls’ four, fired off by Brendan McDaniels, Ikaika Rowan, Braxton Garma and Clareson Torres.
C-Town’s treys came from Matsumoto nailing three with Silas Tacsiat and Kekoa Colipano each launching one.
Matsumoto, in leading the win, also was a perfect 10-for-10 at the charity stripe, C-Town ending with a 12-for-15 showing on the foul line.
Olin Claussen added 10 points to the C-Town win.
Brothers Kaleo Cummings and Kapono Cummings topped the Nite Owls’ scoring with 17 and 11 points, respectively. James Sagucio added 10 points.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
