KALAHEO — Maui piled up 93 points while allowing 40 points in its twinbill Saturday leading to the championship of the 9th annual Girls Kaua‘i Invitational basketball tournament at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center. Dasya Tavares topped the Maui team with
KALAHEO — Maui piled up 93 points while allowing 40 points in its twinbill Saturday leading to the championship of the 9th annual Girls Kaua‘i Invitational basketball tournament at the Kalaheo Neighborhood Center.
Dasya Tavares topped the Maui team with 11 points followed by Samantha Alakai dropping 9 points in the visiting team’s 45-12 win over Kaulupono for a successful defense of its title from the 2011 tournament, ending its three-day run on Kaua‘i with an undefeated record.
Nicole Palacio, the Kaulupono MVP as voted by the tournament coordinators and coaches, dropped 6 points in the title game followed by Casey Anacleto adding 4 points.
Earlier in the day, the two teams met in the seeding matches, Maui drawing on Jayden Almeida for 14 points in a 48-28 margin over Kaulupono.
Following Almeida, Alakai was joined by Patricia Batoon, the Maui tournament MVP, both girls netting 10 points apiece against the Bobby Kamakele-coached girls.
Melia Okura, a strong low post for Kaulupono, got help from Nicole’s younger sister, Kiarra, a Waimea High School JV standout guard, in leading the Kaulupono effort with 7 points each.
The Kaua‘i Ballers forfeited its match to Team Lihu‘e leading to Team Lihu‘e capturing the third-place berth for the tournament which started Thursday night.
Kaulupono opened its win streak with a 25-12 showing over Team Lihu‘e with Anacleto netting 9 points and Schae-Marie Tavita adding 6 points while Lihu‘e got the lead from Malyssa Manera and Waihea Gonsalves who each finished with 4 points.
Cameron Fernandez, Alakai and Batoon took the lead for Maui in its 50-19 showing over the Kaua‘i Ballers who saw Mele Moala, Lele Hanie and Sierra Shigematsu each lead with 4 points.
Fernandez ended the night with a game-high 15 points followed by Alakai and Batoon netting 9 and 8 points, respectively.
Shai-Anne Abigania, voted the Kaua‘i Ballers’ tournament MVP, did not make a mark until Friday night when she pocketed 14 points and getting help from Nahea Quereto who added 8 points.
But those performances paled against Kaulupono’s Nicole Palacio who was joined by Anacleto adding a dozen marks in Kaulupono’s 53-31 win over the Kaua‘i Ballers.
Ashley Lucas, voted the Team Lihu‘e MVP, did not show until Friday night, ending with 8 points and guard Marissa Martinez adding 6 points in its 18-58 loss at the hands of Maui who got a dozen marks from Batoon, 10 points from Alakai and 9 points from Fernandez.
Karen Matsumoto, the tournament coordinator for the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association, observed that the Maui team was stronger this year with height and speed.
She added there were 32 girls from all three of Kaua‘i’s public high schools participating between Kaulupono, Kaua‘i Ballers and Team Lihu‘e.
During the championship round, Matsumoto said the best part of the day was the post-tournament potluck when the girls and coaches got together to enjoy lunch, talking and getting to know each other better.
