WAIMEA — The Waimea Menehune displayed a balanced scoring attack and took command of the fourth quarter to knock off the Kapa‘a Warriors, 64-57, Wednesday night at the Clem Gomes Gym. Leading 50-49 with under four minutes to play in
WAIMEA — The Waimea Menehune displayed a balanced scoring attack and took command of the fourth quarter to knock off the Kapa‘a Warriors, 64-57, Wednesday night at the Clem Gomes Gym.
Leading 50-49 with under four minutes to play in the game, Waimea (1-1) used a 10-0 run to create separation and pick up its first win of the young season.
Waimea had five players reach double-figures, led by Brandon Palacio’s 13 points. Clifton Callejo scored 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Niko Delos Reyes had 11 and Vinda Carineo and Travis Soares each had 10 points.
Paul Oligo scored six and Jake Corona and Gushiken Cadiente had one point apiece.
Kapa‘a (0-2) was led by Willis Batol’s 25 points, nine coming in the fourth quarter and the only nine points the Warriors scored in the period.
Spam Lindsey scored 15 points, while Daniel Reis and Jundell Sagucio had six and five, respectively. Kea Nacolatabua had three and Keane Agoot scored two, while Jude Cruz had one point.
The first half was tight throughout as Waimea held a 15-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Tied at 24-24, Kapa‘a went on a 7-0 run, capped off by a Lindsey lay-up off a spin move in the post for a 31-24 lead. But Callejo got a lay-up near the end of the half, plus the foul and the Menehune trailed by four at the break, 31-27.
Trailing by five midway through the third, Waimea went on an 8-1 run, including a couple hoops by Delos Reyes, to take a 40-38 advantage.
Tied at 48-48, a Carineo lay-up off an Oligo feed gave Waimea the lead for good.
With his team down a point, Lindsey fouled out with 3:43 to play, which was followed by the decisive 10-0 run for the Menehune.
Batol knocked down a pair of threes and a driving lay-up to get Kapa‘a within five, but it could not get closer as Waimea continued to put points on the board.
In the night’s second varsity matchup, the Kaua‘i Red Raiders (2-0) topped the Island School Voyagers (1-1) by a score of 55-31 at the Raider Dome.
Back in Waimea, the Kapa‘a junior varsity was a 53-33 winner over Waimea, as Lance Miyashiro had 13 points and James Stevens had 11.
Duke Yadao led the Waimea effort with 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
Kaua‘i will host Waimea on Wednesday, with JV beginning at 5:30 p.m., followed by varsity.
Island School will host Kapa‘a in a varsity-only evening at 7 p.m.
