WAIMEA — Kaua‘i’s big man had fouled out. Down by two with just under two minutes to play, the Waimea Menehune were primed to finally overtake the Red Raiders. But that’s when Donovan Harrison stepped up.
Harrison scored four points in the final two minutes to lead the Red Raiders past the Menehune 44-37 Wednesday night at Waimea High School in the KIF boys’ basketball season opener.
Kaua‘i led for most of the game behind the dominant play of Mikal Moranz. The Kaua‘i center was unstoppable in the paint and lit the Menehune up for 15 points. But foul trouble ended Moranz’s game in the fourth with the Red Raiders clinging to a two-point lead. That’s when Harrison took over.
“He’s that type of player,” Kaua‘i head coach Ipo Yoshioka said. “He loves the game and will do whatever it takes to help his teammates. He did good tonight.”
In addition to his 12 points, Harrison also stepped up on the boards. Harrison’s bucket that put the Red Raiders up 40-37 came after he grabbed his own rebound.
“They brought the intensity and at times we didn’t match it,” Waimea head coach Nouveau Naumu said, “especially on the offensive boards. They got second and third opportunities to score.”
After a first quarter that ended with the Raiders holding on to an 8-6 lead, the Kaua‘i boys took over in the second. Duke Yadao tied the game for the Menehune at 8-8 to open the quarter, but then the Raiders took the Menehune on a 11-0 run to bring the score to 19-8.
Not wanting to be blown out in its home opener, Waimea rallied back and pulled the score to 19-15 when Brandon Palacio drained a three-pointer at the first half buzzer.
“We hit some big shots along the way but we can still do better,” Naumu said.
The third quarter saw the Raiders pull away again, only for the Menehune to pull right back and even the score at 30 apiece entering the final quarter.
The Menehune gained a brief lead in the fourth when Kaili Schumacher-Lagundino drained a two-pointer to push the score to 32-34 in the home team’s favor, but even being down late didn’t faze the Raiders and Harrison.
When Moranz fouled out, Harrison said he knew there was a chance the ball would be in his hands. That’s what he wanted.
“We drew up some plays and I got open. Scored,” Harrison said of the final two minutes. “I was confident. I knew we were going to win from the start.”
Palacio led the Menehune with 14 points, while Schumacher-Lagundino added 13.
For the Red Raiders, in addition to Moranz’s 15 and Harrison’s 12, Kerwin Morano added 7 points, including a three-pointer.
Waimea returns to the hardwood Saturday, when the Menehune travel to Kapa‘a to take on the Warriors. The Red Raiders JV squad hosts Island School on Saturday and the varsity doesn’t play until Wednesday, when they host the Warriors.
