KAPA‘A — The championship game for the Kapa‘a High School six-team basketball tournament will tip off starting at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a. Starting Wednesday, teams from the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, Ka‘u and Kohala high
KAPA‘A — The championship game for the Kapa‘a High School six-team basketball tournament will tip off starting at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a.
Starting Wednesday, teams from the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, Ka‘u and Kohala high schools, were joined by the Seabury squad from the Maui Interscholastic League, playing each of the Kaua‘i public high schools — Kaua‘i, Waimea and host Kapa‘a high schools — in a final pre-season tournament before the boys basketball season tips off next Wednesday.
Philip Baclayon, head coach of the Kapa‘a High School boys basketball program, coordinated the tournament, the second in the boys pre-season, adding the Seabury girls basketball team who will play each of the Kaua‘i public high school teams. Host Kapa‘a tips off against the Seabury women starting at 10 a.m. Friday.
Kaua‘i High School girls had little trouble posting a 38-22 opening day win over the Seabury women in the only game played at the Kaua‘i High School gym, that game being witnessed by the Seabury men prior to them taking the court against host Kapa‘a later in the evening.
Kaua‘i’s boys opened with a 57-42 win over Ka‘u High School, Wednesday, Kevin Morano leading the way with 17 points and Donavan Harrison adding 16 points over the Big Island squad.
Rayden Esperon came up with seven fourth quarter marks to help lead the Ka‘u squad, followed by Jansen Candaroma, Randall Watson, Larry Navarro and Riley Del Rosario each pocketing four points in the effort.
Weston Cazimero pocketed 12 of his game-total 14 points in the second half as the Kohala Cowboys rebounded from a 31-20 halftime deficit to get past Waimea, 66-49, in the second boys’ game Wednesday. Christopher Roxburgh poured in a game-high 21 points, including 14 in the first half, to lead the Cowboys.
Brandon Palacio topped the Waimea scoring with 15 points, including two critical three-balls, one coming in the third frame. Kaili Schumacher-Lagundino followed with 14 points, including three launches from outside the three-point arc.
Host Kapa‘a High School wrapped up the opening day, capturing a 69-57 win over the Seabury Hall boys’ team.
The KIF boys basketball season starts Jan. 4 when Kaua‘i travels to the Clem Gomes Gym in Waimea, the Junior Varsity tipping off at 5:30 p.m. followed by the varsity squads starting 20 minutes following the completion of the JV games.
Kapa‘a’s JV travels to Island School for a single exhibition game starting at 5:30 p.m.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
