KAPA‘A — There will be a Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation boys varsity basketball playoff for the second-round crown on Monday starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Bernice Hundley Gym on the campus of Kapa‘a High.
The playoff is necessary following sweeping wins by Kaua‘i High over Island School and the Warriors taking both ends of their matchup with the Menehune.
According to a phone text of the final scores, Kaua‘i High took an 8-point margin over the junior varsity Voyagers, 45-37, and the varsity Red Raiders were 5-point victors over Island School, 44-39, Saturday at the Wilcox Gymnasium on the Island School campus in Puhi.
Over at the Bernice Hundley Gym, where Kapa‘a celebrated its Senior Night for five of its graduating seniors, the JV Warriors held off a strong Menehune comeback effort to take a 39-35 edge off the court.
On the varsity court, the Warriors ran away from a 6-point halftime lead to finish with a 56-31 win over the Menehune, which got a strong final-quarter push from guard Jeydon Moises, who put away all the Menehune scoring on eight points, including two from outside the 3-point arc.
Combined with his two points in the first quarter, Moises finished the night with 10 points, followed by Vincent Lizzio dropping eight points, including a pair of 3-balls, and Kelani Lewis finishing with seven points.
Kapa‘a High took time to honor its seniors, Mikey Questin, Tristan Scully, Braxton Brooks, Moku Tolenoa and Grayson Shimamoto, for what might have been their final appearance in Warrior wear on the hardwood.
All eyes were on Shimamoto in the waning seconds of the game, as the senior broke away for a layup in the paint.
As the ball tickled the twine, the nearly full house erupted in cheer as Shimamoto repeated the feat to finish with four points in the victory that was led by Questin with a game-high 21 points, including a trey.
Scully followed with an 8-point contribution, including a pair of treys, and Keaka Kauhane adjusted to a play making guard, netting seven points, including a trey.
Shayden Mandel set the pace for the JV Warriors with a game-high 16 points, including 10 second-half points that included two from 3-point land. Jaden Hedges finished with six points, and Alvin Pinoliar and Emry Piturachsatit each added five points.
Isaiah Sarmiento topped the JV Menehune effort on eight points, with Efren Taylan Jr. adding six points.
Tipoff for the playoff game on Monday is at 6:30 p.m. If Kaua‘i High, winner of the round-one playoff in an overtime thriller, wins Monday, the Red Raiders will be representing the KIF at the 2023 Heide &Cook Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Division II boys basketball championships that will contest Feb. 8 through 10 on O‘ahu.
If Kapa‘a High is successful in the playoff, a coin flip will decide the home site for the Wednesday playoff contest for the KIF title.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
