WAIMEA — For John Kaneholani, a coach with the Kapa‘a High School boys basketball teams, the season was not about winning the season, but about setting goals and being able to accomplish them. Heading into the game against Waimea Friday
WAIMEA — For John Kaneholani, a coach with the Kapa‘a High School boys basketball teams, the season was not about winning the season, but about setting goals and being able to accomplish them.
Heading into the game against Waimea Friday night at the Clem Gomes Gym, the Kapa‘a Junior Warriors had already locked up the JV boys basketball title, being in a situation where a loss to Waimea would not have mattered.
But it mattered to the coaches.
“We were working for a ‘perfect’ season,” Kaneholani said following the 71-59 win over Waimea. “It was not about the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation title. It was about finishing strong and not being distracted.”
Waimea was prepared for the Junior Warriors and finished the first stanza with a seven-point lead, 16-9 before Kapa‘a turned the tables with a 25-16 second period to hold a digit lead over Waimea at the half, 34-32.
The two teams stayed close for the remainder of the match, Kapa‘a not pulling ahead until the final three minutes of play.
Waimea’s Kamea Palama posted a game-high 23 points, but Kapa‘a posted four players, all starters with double-digit shooting led by Mosese Fifita and Keali‘i Colipano both finishing with 16 points, Colipano also launching a three-ball in the second period.
Michael Booth added 14 points, five coming in the fourth frame, and Junard Mata netted 13 second-half marks, including 10 in the fourth frame when Kapa‘a surged past Waimea 25-20 toward the final math.
Bryden Salvador, finishing two-for-two at the charity stripe, added four second period marks, Chris Yam added a first period three-ball and pairs from Willo Batol and Jash Blaine accounted for Kapa‘a’s scoring.
Following Palama’s game-high 23 points, Waimea saw John Ry Tagaca add 11 points followed by Henry Delos Reyes ending with nine points, Jamin Fernandez adding eight points, Seaton Farias finishing with six points and Jayson Cudanes adding a pair.
Team players for the Kapa‘a JV team include Mata, Batol, Salvador, Christian Roslin, Jarren Casem, Kai Moroney, Yam, Fifita, Colipano, Dave Aguinaldo, Blaine, Paul Oyama and Booth.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
