KAPA‘A — The frustrated Waimea High girls basketball team succumbed to Kapa‘a’s height advantage and turnovers on Friday, 61-35, during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls basketball contest at the Bernice Hundley Gym.
Kapa‘a started the contest with three of its starting lineup sidelined due to the cold bug, but got step-up play from the substitutes, including Jada Nakamura, who finished the contest with 12 points, the second highest point total for Kapa‘a below a game-high 20 points from Olivia Malafu.
Malafu, the Warrior’s center, did a masterful job of blocking the paint and limiting Waimea’s Katelyn Constantio to 11 points.
Norma Tuulangavalu was in charge of moving the ball around, and finished with 13 points in the Kapa‘a win.
Waimea, noting the abscense of guard Taira Samiano, distance shooter Angeline Nizo and power forward Denise Alfonso, adjusted and struck early. However, the Warrior lineup that included Alfonso not hitting the floor until the second quarter, limited the Menehune to just seven marks in the eight-minute period. It also adjusted to the new lineup that included Nakamura, Kyla Hopton and recent nurse aide graduate Kiani Pia Salvador joining Malafu and Tuulangavalu on the floor.
Alfonso, although not starting, was limited to some action, where she contributed seven points to the win, including one from outside the three-point arc.
For Waimea, Shylen Leah Guerrero came off the bench to add six points to Constantino’s efforts, and Kiaura Rita-Ortiz and Ari Acosta each netted four points. MJ Angala and Hailey Mata were each held to a trey each.
With the victory, Kapa‘a leaves the hardwood the undisputed holder of the KIF first-round crown with an undefeated record.
The next KIF girls basketball game opens round two on Jan. 2 when Kaua‘i High travels to the Bernice Hundley Gym to face the Lady Warriors. Tip off for the junior varsity game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m., followed by the varsity contest starting 20 minutes following the JV game.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
