HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kalani's Kacie Gushiken kept the ball out of the reach of Roosevelt's Tianna Sugui, bottom, yesterday.
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Roosevelt clinches East
Despite turning the ball over six times on its first seven possessions in the fourth quarter, No. 1 Roosevelt cemented its status as the best team in the Oahu Interscholastic Association.
Iwalani Rodrigues showed off her diverse skills with 18 points, nine rebounds, five steals and four assists, and junior Tiana Sugui added 17 points as the Rough Riders overcame a 4-minute dry spell in the fourth quarter to pull out a 63-50 victory over No. 5 Kalani last night at McKinley.
Sugui nailed three of Roosevelt's eight 3-pointers in the game as the Rough Riders (10-0) clinched the Red East regular-season championship and a bye in the opening round of the OIA playoffs.
"I brought the girls down to earth real quick after the game," Roosevelt coach Bobby Keanini said. "We're not even into the playoffs yet and we're not playing as crisp and as well as I'd like."
Courtney Gaddis had a game-high 19 points and six rebounds and Megan Kamehiro added 11 for the Falcons (8-2), who have locked up the second seed out of the East and a first-round bye in the playoffs as well.
The Falcons stayed close with the Rough Riders, who got a shot at the buzzer from Dianna Zane to take a 29-23 halftime lead. That shot sparked a 17-5 run by the Rough Riders to open the second half as a basket by Rodrigues gave them their largest lead of the game at 18.
"We moved the ball well and Dianna was able to get into the paint and find our open shooters," Keanini said.
Leading 49-31 after three quarters, the Rough Riders tried to slow the pace of the game down, which only benefited the Falcons. Kalani managed to force the Rough Riders into six turnovers on their opening seven possessions of the fourth quarter and cut the 18-point lead to seven with 1:30 left.
"I think we were just too intense and hyped ourselves out a little bit," Rodrigues said. "We just had to get settled down and stay cool and make our free throws at the end."
On the ensuing play, Gaddis intercepted a bad pass by Rodrigues and took the ball the length of the court, but was called for a charge on the shot attempt. The Rough Riders converted their next six free-throw attempts to seal the game.
"The good thing is that they're smart and know when you have a big lead to try to settle down and take good shots," Keanini said. "We start holding onto the ball a little too much and you can't do that against a team like Kalani which has such good athletes."
At McKinley H.S. gym
Roosevelt (10-0) |
16 |
13 |
20 |
14 |
-- |
63
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Kalani (8-2) |
10 |
13 |
8 |
19 |
-- |
50 |
ROOSEVELT--Dianna Zane 9, Tiana Sugui 17, Iwalani Rodrigues 18, Shandree Armstead 0, Tiyana Nakasone 8, Tasia Kamakawiwoole 8, Kaui Kuehu 0, Jayna Tasaka 3.
KALANI--Violet Alama 2, Kim Cabuyadao 5, Megan Kamehiro 11, Kacie Gushiken 5, Courtney Gaddis 19, Chloe Martin 0, Allison Neussl 3, Rhianna Farm 3, Chelsie Kimura 2.
3-point goals -- Roosevelt 8 (Sugui 3, Nakasone 2, Zane 2, Tasaka), Kalani 1 (Kamehiro).
Farrington 55, Kaimuki 51
C'ani Kealoha scored 15 points, including four 3-pointers, and Deja Bryce added 15 as the Governors defeated the Bulldogs.
Olivia Phommachanh scored 21 points for Kaimuki.
At McKinley H.S. gym
Kaimuki (1-10) |
17 |
8 |
13 |
13 |
-- |
51
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Farrington (7-4) |
18 |
11 |
14 |
12 |
-- |
55 |
KAIMUKI--Olivia Phommachanh 21, Mindy Hirokawa 8, Maria Colon 3, Denisha Fa'asoa 1, Sinead Scovil 8, Louise Fiamate 10, Ayesha Shepard 0.
FARRINGTON--Cani Kealoha 15, Jorell Telefoni-Sablan 10, Macilee Moi 8, Deja Bryce 15, Valerie Lesu 0, Angie Gasio 0, Elane Leaupepe 7, Polohiva Folaumahina 0.
3-point goals -- Kaimuki 5 (Hirokawa 2, Phommachanh 2, Fiamate), Farrington (Kealoha 4, Leaupepe, Bryce).
Junior varsity--Farrington 39, Kaimuki 16