KAPA‘A — Coming off the plane from Manila, Philippines, the bright yellow uniforms of Tropang-L were inaugurated with the team’s first win, Tuesday. Playing in the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association Men’s 18 and Over summer league, Tropang-L has always shown
KAPA‘A — Coming off the plane from Manila, Philippines, the bright yellow uniforms of Tropang-L were inaugurated with the team’s first win, Tuesday.
Playing in the Kaua‘i Youth Basketball Association Men’s 18 and Over summer league, Tropang-L has always shown strong but could never close the door.
Tuesday night, with its new uniforms sporting Lakers colors, Tropang-L overcame the Bullhorns, 50-43 for its first win, delighting its fanbase.
Earlier in the night, Ian Khan netted 25 points to lead the SupaStars to a 65-53 win over the Nite Owls in the first of four games played at the Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a.
Tab Matsumoto finished with 24 points, including four of the C-Town’s eight treys, to lead the blueshirts to a 60-57 win over Manny’s Sports.
Jeremy Robinson scored 20 points to lead the Organic Apples, a name derived from Robinson, to an 85-48 win over the Westside Pride in the nightcap.
Garrick Barretto’s three-ball with less than 20 seconds showing in the half jump-started the Bullhorns’ late start against Tropang-L, pulling the Bullhorns to a 21-19 bulge at the half.
But Tropang-L came back to hold a four-point edge at the end of the third quarter en route to its first season win, igniting its fanbase into spasms of joy.
Kyle Pigao, the key signal caller for Tropang-L, paced the win on 19 points, followed by Jr. Punzalan and James Badua finishing with nine and seven points, respectively.
Christian Hudson topped the Bullhorn scoring with eight points, followed by Barretto ending with seven points.
Each of the SupaStars’ scoring leaders netted treys in the win, Khan getting one in his 25 points, Keven Hanano, coach for the Kamikaze, getting one in his 13 points, and Jon Ching getting one in his 11 points.
Kaleo Cummings topped the Nite Owls’ effort with 16 points, including netting two of the team’s five three-balls. Ray Bode followed with 10 points and Kapono Cummings was held to eight points, six coming in the second half.
Olin Claussen got help in bucketing two goals in the final minute of play to ice the C-Town victory, getting his first feed from Rich Colipano and the other from Austin Simao to clinch the 60-57 win over Manny’s Sports.
Both teams battled to a 34-34 halftime after Manny’s eked out a 20-12 first quarter lead behind six points from Michael Lindsey and four points each from Manolito Pescador Jr. and Davin Camarillo.
Claussen finished with 10 points to add to Matsumoto’s 24 points. Guard Silas Tacsiat finished with eight points, including two treys. Kekoa Colipano and Rich Colipano each finished with six points and Austin Simao ended with five points, including one three-ball in the first quarter.
James Flores added 11 points for the Organic Apples’ lead set by Robinson and Thompson. Damien Girard followed with 10 points and Randy Vicoy added nine points.
Ronald Villanueva set the pace for Westside Pride with a dozen marks, followed by Reynante Villanueva ending with 11 points and Benjamin Buyat adding 10 points.
The KYBA Men’s 18 and Over league take the floor Saturday night starting at 5 p.m. at the Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a.
