Kiarra Palacio dropped eight points to lead Kaulupono to a 39-34 edge over a tenacious Team Lihu‘e on Monday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. Shae Tavita added six points, tying Team Lihu‘e’s leaders, Malyssa Manera and Marissa Martinez, in
Kiarra Palacio dropped eight points to lead Kaulupono to a 39-34 edge over a tenacious Team Lihu‘e on Monday night at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Shae Tavita added six points, tying Team Lihu‘e’s leaders, Malyssa Manera and Marissa Martinez, in the first of two games played in the county’s youth winter league for students in grades 6 through 8.
“The girls’ games were very competitive tonight,” said Karen Matsumoto of the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association, who helps the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation by fielding the scorers’ table and officials.
“I thought we were headed for another overtime game, but Kaulupono pulled it off in the end,” Matsumoto said.
The Palacio name is no stranger to basketball. Kiarra’s older sister and brother play key roles for the Waimea High School boys and girls basketball program.
Brandon Palacio, a senior, has been a starter for the Menehune basketball team in all of its games during the season, scrapping on both sides of the ball, including the last match where he plowed through the cheerleaders into the cushioned barrier in chase of a ball.
Nicole Palacio, teaming with Taylor Gaspar to lead the Menehune JV girls, was upgraded to the varsity for the two post-season games when Waimea battled Kaua‘i High School for the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation title.
Kiarra is the third in a string of Palacio kids, all finding themselves on the basketball court.
Team Lihu‘e’s Manera and Martinez are no strangers to the hardwood, either. Both girls served as managers for the Kaua‘i varsity girls team which clinched the KIF title and earned a No. 4 seed for the Hawaiian Airlines state girls championships that started Tuesday on O‘ahu.
Macy Tamura could not help but beam smiles at coach Keven Hanano of the Kamikaze and the audience, as she dropped four buckets from near the charity stripe.
Tamura finished with 10 points, teaming with Kalia Shimabukuro’s 12 points to lead the Kamikaze to a 44-33 run over the Kaua‘i Ballers who got 13 points from Kunani Tuttle, the youngest of three Tuttle girls who graced the Kapa‘a High School program.
Tori Kamoku added 12 points for the Kaua‘i Ballers.
Matsumoto said the physical run-and-gun game took its toll on the Kaua‘i Ballers, two of their girls being buzzed out on fouls.
The boys in grades 6 through 8 take the floor at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center Thursday with two games. The Team Lihu‘e boys will take on the Kaua‘i Ballers starting at 6 p.m., followed by Papalina-Blue taking on Papalina-Orange starting at 7 p.m.
The girls will be in action for the final time Saturday, when Kaulupono tangles with the Kamikaze starting at 9 a.m. followed by Team Lihu‘e meeting the Kaua‘i Ballers at 10 a.m.
The boys will be in action at the Kilauea Neighborhood Center when Team Central B goes up against Lepo Ula at 10 a.m., followed by the Westside Basketball meeting Hanakila at 11 a.m.
