Kamehameha qualifies for states as Lyons comes up big on Big Island
By Steven Offenbaker
Special to the Star-Bulletin
Senior Kawika Lyons scored a game-high 15 points as Kamehameha beat Honokaa 50-27 in a special Hawaii High School Athletic Association play-in game yesterday at the Afook-Chinen Hilo Civic Auditorium.
The Warriors, the third-place representative from the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, advanced to the Division I state tournament next week in Honolulu.
Honokaa, a third-place finisher in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, is done for the season.
For the first quarter and a half it appeared that the Honokaa defense was going to contain the Warriors' potent offense.
The Dragons defense held Kamehameha to just two first-quarter field goals and entered the second period leading 6-4 with seniors Casey Souza, Keala Hookahi-Freitas and freshman junior varsity call-up Kamu Lorenzo leading the way.
"That first quarter might be the best we have played defensively all season long," Honokaa coach Eddie Rodrigues said. "Unfortunately we weren't able to continue it throughout."
Junior Auwae DeRego, who transferred to Kamehameha from Honokaa following his freshman year, led a relentless Warriors defense that held the Dragons to just one point in the second quarter.
DeRego's assignment was to guard Honokaa's leading scorer and DeRego's cousin, Kien Aveiro. DeRego did not allow Aveiro to score a point until midway through the third quarter.
While the defense was clamping down on the Dragons, the Warriors offense was exploding. Kamehameha reeled off a 15-1 scoring run in the period on a 3-pointer from Lyons and two baskets from DeRego.
Kamehameha crushed Honokaa's comeback hopes when Lyons opened the third quarter by hitting back-to-back 3-pointers for a 25-9 lead.
"I told the guys to make sure they get me the ball," Lyons said. "I felt good in this gym and I knew if they got me the ball I would be able to knock my shots down. Pi'i Minns did a great job of finding me. He drew the defense in and then found me for the open shot. I'm happy I was able to hit the shots."
"Kawika is a very streaky shooter," Warriors coach Jesse Nakanishi said. "He really could not have picked a better time to start hitting those shots. He really gave us a lift."
Lyons opened the final quarter the same way he did the third, by knocking down a 3-pointer, his fifth of the night. Senior Jonathan Hew Len then hit a 3-pointer and junior Blake Viena added two more buckets to wrap it up.
The Warriors are looking forward to the D-I state tournament.
"We really need to fine-tune some things," Nakanishi said. "The thing about the tournament is that you really can't game plan, you don't know very far ahead of time who it is you're going to play. All you can do is fine-tune what you want to do as a team and go in there and play your game."
At Afook-Chinen Hilo Civic Auditorium
Kamehameha (22-6) |
4 |
15 |
17 |
14 |
-- |
50 |
Honokaa (16-9) |
6 |
1 |
5 |
15 |
-- |
27 |
KAMEHAMEHA -- Kiwika Lyons 15, Auwae DeRego 6, Blake Viena 6, Pi'i Minns 4, Dylan Miller 4, Edmund Kamano Jr 4, Jami Jovanovich 4, Jonathan Hew Len 3, Shawn Bode 2, Damien Kaehuaea 2.
HONOKAA -- Keala Freitas 8, Kapanaia Carvalho 8, Casey Souza 6, Kien Averio 3, Kamu Lorenzo 2
3-point goals -- Kamehameha 6 (Lyons 5, Hew Len 1), Honokaa 2 (Carvalho 2)
DIVISION II
Kaiser 81, Christian Academy 47
Kalua Noa scored 36 points as the Cougars dominated the Patriots to gain the final Division II bid to the state tournament.
Michael Urcia scored 21 points for Christian Academy in a losing effort.
At Radford H.S. gym
Christian Academy (7-5) |
9 |
13 |
9 |
16 |
-- |
47 |
Kaiser (10-7) |
23 |
19 |
14 |
25 |
-- |
81 |
CHRISTIAN ACADEMY -- Michael Urcia 21, Jathniel Manahan 3, Abel Orbistondo 4, Joshua Kaoiwi 0, Ryan Kobayashi 3, Axton Durand 2, Zachary Fu 2, Jake Okumura 0, Brett Koga 2, Jason Ko 10, Robert Helsham Jr. 0.
KAISER -- Jaymes Kawashima 5, Landon Tamanaha 0, Jonathan Lau 2, Mychal Nagata 0, Kalua Noa 36, Ryan Chong 6, Brannon Wong 4, Jeffrey Gordon 4, Devin Wolfe 5, Keola Hunt 0, Bryce Masaki 0, Kainoa Pa 1, Zachary Wong 4, Salele Aliifua 10, Bronson McMoore 4.
3-point goals -- Christian Academy 2 (Ko, Manahan), Kaiser 3 (Kawashima, Wong, Wolfe).