Saturday, February 9, 2002

[ HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ]

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Kaimuki beats Aiea,
earns trip to states

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By Jerry Campany
jcampany@starbulletin.com

The Kaimuki Bulldogs have no problem with playing their OIA semifinal game in Mililani next week, because the floor there was awful nice to them last night.

Kaimuki came into its quarterfinal game and dispatched Aiea 52-49 to advance to the Oahu Interscholastic Association's semifinals against Mililani in boys basketball last night. It also earned a trip to the state tournament.

But the ticket was not handed to the Bulldogs, as they needed two free throws from Jimmy Miyasaki, some tough defense and a little luck to take care of aggressive Aiea.

Down 50-49 with 16 seconds left after Daniel Min stole an inbounds pass under his own basket, Aiea tried to get the ball to Lamont Williams, who had sparked the Na Alii for 20 points, including 14 in the second half. But Kaimuki double-teamed Williams and forced him to dish the ball off to Min, who drove the lane and hoped to take the double-team away. It did, but it didn't matter as Min slipped and lost the ball with his second step. When the bodies were untangled, the referee's call was a jump ball, giving it to Kaimuki.

The Bulldogs got the ball inbounds, and set up the last two of Miyasaki's free throws, the final one putting them up three with eight seconds left.

Eight seconds were more than enough for Aiea to get the ball into the hands of Williams, who launched a desperation shot from just outside the arc that hit the back of the rim, bounced straight up and fell to the floor to send Kaimuki to the state tournament and Aiea home wondering what might have been.

Aiea had Kaimuki down by five at half, but ran into a different bunch of Bulldogs in the second. Kaimuki came out running in the second half and erased the deficit in a mere 90 seconds and took a seven-point lead.

"We played Aiea's game in the first half," Kaimuki coach Stephen Lee said. "Alex (Lauriano, who was slapped with a technical for a hard foul in the second quarter) is the nicest guy and he got a technical, so we must have been frustrated with the rough stuff. The only thing I really said was to attack the basket and play our game."

At Mililani H.S. gym

Aiea (9-3)	11	11	12	15	--	49
Kaimuki (9-2)	11	6	24	11	--	52

AIEA -- Taylor Watanabe 4, Lamont Williams 20, Aaron Powell 1, Daniel Min 3, Wes Williams 7, Anthony Johnson 14.

KAIMUKI -- Jesse Wong 5, Daniel Tautofi 15, Jimmy Miyasaka 15, James Davis 17.

3-point goals -- Aiea 3 (L. Williams 2, W. Williams). Kaimuki 3 (Wong, Tautofi, Miyasaka).

Mililani 73, Roosevelt 57

Mililani will take its undefeated season into the OIA semifinals against Kaimuki after beating Roosevelt last night.

The Trojans used 19 points from Rashaun Broadus and 17 from Kaipo Patoc to stave off the Rough Riders, who found themselves down by 11 after eight minutes and never recovered. Roosevelt did keep the difference between 10 and 15 for most of the night, matching the free-wheeling Trojans 3-point attempt for 3-point attempt.

Roosevelt made four treys in the game. Mililani managed five.

"We didn't play a perfect game, but we are starting to step it up," Mililani coach Mike Coito said. "I am just relieved to get past this round. Roosevelt just never gives up."

At Mililani H.S. Gym

Roosevelt (7-5)	6	12	15	24	--	57
Mililani (11-0)	17	14	16	26	--	73

ROOSEVELT -- Keola Steitzel 12, Casey Gouveia 9, Shown Francis 4, Ryan Keomaka 1, Bryson Broges 8, Anthony Holyfield 10, Andrew Choy 13.

MILILANI -- Thompson Ah Loo 2, Brandyn Fidel 5, Gary Deliz 8, Rashaun Broadus 19, Mitch Rose 11, Andrew Min 5, Alex Patykula 2, Kaipo Patoc 17, Simeon Tavares 4.

3-point goals -- Roosevelt 4 (Steitzel, Gouveia, Broges, Choy). Mililani 5 (Deliz 2, Broadus, Min, Patoc).

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