KAPA‘A — The Kapa‘a High School girls basketball and the Waimea High School girls basketball celebrated the final contest of the 2022 Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls basketball season Monday night before a near-capacity crowd at the Bernice Hundley Gym on the Kapa‘a High School campus.
Alexie-Ann Yam and Hinali‘i Grance, two of the five graduating seniors on the team, led the Kapa‘a attack en route to a 42-26 win over the Menehune.
After getting ahead 10-8 in the opening frame, the Lady Warriors took on an offensive stance and outran the Menehune with a balanced scoring effort by Yam, Grance and Olivia Malafu.
Yam, in addition to dropping buckets, was in the thick of traffic, picking up rebounds and adding putbacks to her scoring total that finished with 13 points.
Her efforts were bolstered with Grance adding 10 points, including a pair from outside the three-point arc.
Underclassman Malapu rounded out the triple scoring effort with nine points.
Kapa‘a Coach William Aki treated fans to a seniors-only night in the final period when the five graduating seniors, including Yam, Grance, Jada Ines, Tasia Kamoku, and Hailey Overmyer were afforded ample time together on the hardwood.
The largely home stand crowd erupted in cheer when Ines drew a bead in the final ticks of the game, but came up empty on the long ball attempt. Overmyer finished the night with six points, four dropping in the final stanza, and Kamoku had a digit.
Katelyn Constantino blossomed with eight points, including three-balls in both halves, to lead the Waimea showing followed by Kiaura Rita-Ortiz with six points, both treys.
Both teams turn in their uniforms following the Monday night game.
The Kaua‘i High School team, despite a loss at the hands of Kapa‘a last Friday night, will be representing the KIF when the 2022 Heide &Cook Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Division 2 girls basketball championships unfold, next Wednesday on O‘ahu.
Determination for participation in the state tournament was done by best record showing during the COVID-riddled season.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
