KAPA‘A — Three Kapa‘a Warriors created a triple threat that knocked off Kaua‘i High School, 51-44, on Monday night during a Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation boys basketball playoff for Round 2 at Bernice Hundley Gym.
The Kapa‘a win forces another playoff contest that will tip off Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. at Bernice Hundley Gym. The playoff will determine the KIF champion that will be eligible to participate in the 2023 Heide &Cook Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Division II boys basketball championships from Feb. 8-10 on O‘ahu.
Kapa‘a, with the Monday night playoff, earned the KIF Round 2 title. The Warriors’ opponent Kaua‘i High School had earlier claimed the KIF Round 1 title through a playoff.
The standing-room only fans at Bernice Hundley Gym saw the rain and cold wind punctuated with bouts of lightning and thunder shroud the stars on the Red Raider bench, but not deterring the sparkle of the Warriors as the contest opened with strong defense and good shooting from the Warriors to take a 12-5 lead at the end of the first period.
That Kapa‘a lead, fueled by the triple threat of Keaka Kauhane, Mikey Questin, and Kelson Yasay, swelled to 30-16 at the half before a suitable Red Raider response could stop the growth.
Coming off the bench, Red Raider Cade Myers finished the contest with 18 points to lead the Kaua‘i effort, dropping seven marks to lead a comeback effort that tied the contest, 34-34, on a bucket by Noah Louis late in the third frame.
That was as far as Kaua‘i could go as Questin responded with a bucket and added a pair of free throws to regain the lead against the persistent Red Raider effort at stopping the Warriors.
With 3:32 showing on the game clock, the Raiders’ efforts fell short as a costly technical foul was assessed against Kaua‘i. A second Red Raider hit the bench after fouling out, and Kapa‘a built its lead to eight points.
The Warriors also went into a stall, forcing Kaua‘i to foul in an effort at regaining ball possession.
Top gun honors belonged to Kauhane, who tickled the twine for a game-high 25 points. That included a pair of 3-balls, followed by Questin adding 15 points. Yasay, whose production was limited to the first half, finished with 10 points, including a trio of treys.
Following Myers’ production coming off the bench, Kaua‘i was limited to eight points from Isaac Mirey, who fouled out on a technical, and eight points from Syrus Delos Reyes. Kaua‘i was limited to just a single trey from Aukai Arruda in the first quarter.
Tipoff for the KIF title playoff is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Bernice Hundley Gym on the campus of Kapa‘a High School.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
