WAIMEA — Waimea High School split its series against the Lady Warriors during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls basketball games on Tuesday.
The junior varsity Menehune continued its strong showing with a 55-22 win over the Warriors behind La‘akea Kauwe marking 21 points, including a bomb from outside the 3-point arc. Jeianna Locquiao dropped 12 points, including a pair of 3-balls, and Cyani Bagaoisan-Rita added 10 points.
Kapa‘a efforts were sparked by Tyra Carvalho marking seven points, and Ginger Nunez and Aedyn Umalla each dropping a pair of treys.
On the varsity courts, the varsity Menehune keep on looking for a solution to Kapa‘a’s inside post Olivia Malafu who finished with 24 points in Kapa‘a’s 54-38 victory in Menehuneland. Strong guard Skylyn Fagarang added 10 points in the win, including a pair of 3-balls that was sparingly used in the victory.
Waimea used the treys to stay close, its top scorer Hailey Mata launching three toward her game-total 12 points. Katelyn Constantino launched Waimea’s fourth 3-ball in the final stanza where she scored her night’s production of five points.
Alyssa Gummerus came off the bench for a strong second-half showing with her 9-point contribution.
The Menehune center Ari Acosta was the primary weapon against the strong Malafu showing, Acosta paying the price by fouling out, but not before adding four points for Waimea along with the rebound bull Kiaura Rita.
Lady Warrior guard Taira Samiano fired off the third Kapa‘a trey in the opening frame where Kapa‘a took a 10-point lead, 17-7 over the Menehune. Samiano also netted a bucket in the frame that set the pace for the night.
Kapa‘a’s Trinity Guillen showed seven points for her more playing time on the hardwood and Denise Alfonso muscled for six points toward the Warrior 10th win in the KIF season with two more games to play.
Waimea High School will next make the trip to face Kaua‘i High School on Friday at the new Kaua‘i High School gymnasium where the JV game will tip off from 5:30 p.m. with the varsity contest following.
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
