KALAHEO — Kaulupono and Team Lihu‘e posted victories to close the county’s youth winter basketball league for girls in grades 6 and 8 Saturday in Kalaheo.
Kaulupono utilized the press, holding the Kamikaze to just 15 points while its two low posts, Melia Okura and Taegen Keep, pocketed the feeds.
Okura topped scoring with eight points, followed by Keep and guard Kiarra Palacio ending with five each in the 30-15 win to close the winter league on a winning note.
Sheryl Ann Tomas topped the Kamikaze scoring with six points, followed by Azlin Kealoha-Albarado lending five points.
Brandee Burton and Marissa Martinez led Team Lihu‘e with a dozen and 11 points, respectively, in the blackshirts’ 46-25 win over the Kaua‘i Ballers in the second game played in Kalaheo.
Laura Koga and Malyssa Manera each finished with nine points in the win.
Mele Masaniai topped the Kaua‘i Ballers scoring with eight points, followed by Kristin Costa Brun finishing with seven points.
Karen Matsumoto of the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association, helping with the officiating in the Kilauea Neighborhood Center, said the two boys’ games played there were lopsided — both games involving the 20-point mercy ruling.
Lanakila Wilson dropped in a game-high 17 points, and Mark Lacierna added 16 points to lead Team Central B to a 54-26 win over Lepo Ula in the first of two games in Kilauea.
Lester Acojido added 13 points to the Team Central B win.
Kamea Alquiza topped the Lepo Ula effort with 15 points, including a 7-for-9 performance at the foul line — Matsumoto noting how exceptional that is for youngsters in this age group.
Koa Kallai of Hanakila had only four points to his name in the first half, but finished with five three-balls to lead Hanakila to a 66-25 win over Westside Basketball.
“He entered the game ready to play and brought his game today,” Matsumoto said. “It’s been a while since we have seen that many treys hit so well in the youth league.”
Kallai finished with 19 points to lead the Hanakila win, with Christian Roslin adding 14 points.
Briggs Agu topped the Westside Basketball scoring with 19 points, equalling Kallai’s scoring.
The boys in grades 6 through 8 enter their final week of play in the youth winter basketball league, with two games scheduled for the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center today. Team Central A meets Team Lihu‘e in the 6 p.m. opener, followed by Team Central B meeting Westside Basketball starting at 7 p.m.
Two more games are scheduled Thursday in Kilauea, and the season wraps up Saturday with a pair of games at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
