Saturday, May 15, 1999
Kalaheo OIA champ again
By Cindy Luis
Star-BulletinBeen there. Done that.
And they did it again.
Experience matters when playoff time comes. Kalaheo had it, Pearl City didn't. And it showed.
Last night, Kalaheo capped a perfect league season with its second straight Oahu Interscholastic Association girls' basketball title, handing Pearl City its first loss of the year, 58-34, at Blaisdell Arena. The Mustangs (12-0) should be the top seed when pairings are announced Monday for next week's Hawaii High School Athletic Association girls' state tournament at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The OIA will send five teams, headed by Kalaheo and tournament runner-up Pearl City (12-1). McKinley advances, as does Nanakuli, which lost to the Tigers on a last-second 3-pointer last night; Aiea will also go, after ousting Roosevelt.
Kalaheo's mission this season goes beyond winning the OIA Tournament. The Mustangs, upset last year by Punahou in the state final, want to win it all next week.
"We're looking forward to the state tournament," said Kalaheo forward Jenn Conner, who scored 15 points. "We're in the same situation as we were last year (as OIA champs). We want to win it bad.
"Tonight, our main goal was to get out on top quick, get control of the game and have them chasing us the rest of the way. They came out confident and aggressive but I think we took their heart away by taking them out early."
Conner scored six of Kalaheo's first 10 points as the Mustangs kept the pressure on the Chargers from the opening tip. By halftime, Kalaheo was on top, 34-11.
"This is the first time our team has played in this (title) game and Kalaheo has a lot of players who have been here before," said Pearl City coach Alfredo Canencia. "I think our girls were a little intimidated in the first half. At halftime, I told them they had nothing to lose, not to give up and to forget about the scoreboard.
"Kalaheo's the true champion. They are a very good team. And Brandy Richardson is like a college player out there."
Richardson, the 6-1 sophomore post, dominated on both ends with 16 points and five blocked shots.To the Chargers' credit, they didn't fold, not even when falling behind by 30, 52-22, midway through the fourth. They continued to run their offense and, when Chastine Correa's basket closed the game to 56-34, the Chargers celebrated as if it were a 2-point game, not a 22-point one.
Kalaheo beat Pearl City by 20 in the preseason and "I thought we could exploit them with pressure," said Mustang coach Chico Furtado. "We've come a long way doing what we do and we just kept doing it. We jumped out big at halftime and then it's just a matter of squishing runs as they come."
Furtado credited Conner's defense as a key. Pearl City's leading scorer, Cheryl Villarmia, finished with one basket, that coming with 2:30 left in the fourth quarter.
Momilani Monis led the Chargers with 13 points.
Pearl City 7 4 8 14-34 Kalaheo 19 15 11 13-58Pearl City: Mililani Monis 6, Cheryl Villarmia 2, Momilani Monis 13, Chastine Correa 2, April Atkinson 9, Tracia Ejima 0, Laurie Ching 0, Rachel Lacar 2, Elishanna Piris 0, Navilla Navarrete 0, Andrea Kaopua 0.Kalaheo: Kate Mellinger 4, Brandy Richardson 16, Jenn Conner 15, Sharon Wahinekapu 12, Ilima Ah Nee 4, Maria Gladsone 7, Natasha Lagapa 0, Michelle Quintana 0, Tiffany Jackson 0, Alberta Lui 0, Sherrine Kanahele 0, Nicole Furtado 0, Heather Gonzalves 0.
3-pointers-Kal: Richardson 1, Conner 1.
McKinley 38, Nanakuli 37: Amber Ehia let fly from the right side of the key with what she thought was going to be an air ball. Instead, her 20-foot heave with 2.2 seconds left found nothing but net to lift the Tigers (9-3) over the Golden Hawks (10-3) in the third-place game.
"All I was thinking was, 'Please go in,' " said Ehia, who finished with a game-high 15 points. "There wasn't any play set up. Coach (Jesse Victorino) just wanted someone to shoot a 3-pointer."
Ehia had hit two other treys as McKinley looked to be in control at 35-30 with 4:16 left in the game. But Nanakuli sank four consecutive free throws and Summer Victor hit a jumper during a 6-0 run that put the Golden Hawks ahead.
Victor hit the front end of a two-shot foul with 16.9 seconds left to give Nanakuli a 37-35 lead. Maricris Sierra had a chance to ice it for the Hawks, but missed both free throws with 11.4 seconds remaining.
Rosemarie Kelly scored 11 points for Nanakuli, which advances to the state tournament for the first time ever.
McKinley 12 12 5 9-38 Nanakuli 7 12 10 8-37McKinley: Keahi Mamala 4, Patricia Ishiki 3, Stacey Towai 3, Amber Ehia 15, Tasha Haynes 4, Chyloh Rodrigues 0, Brianne Ching 1, Marie Farina 1, Deena Young 0, Briana Ioane 0, Tracey Torralva 6, Sharmayne Lee 1, Anela Kimoto 0, Filiga Lakisa 0, Queta Morale 0.Nanakuli: Rosemarie Kelly 11, Maricris Sierra 4, Shyla Ulangca 4, Kori Montez 0, Shaela Lew 7, Lahela Romena 0, Summer Victor 3, Mary Davis 0, Haunani Momoa 8.
3-pointers-McK: Ehia 3.
Aiea 49, Moanalua 45: Kylee Nakamura scored 20 points and Na Alii (10-4) earned the OIA's fifth and final slot into next week's state tournament by eliminating the Menehunes (10-4).
Aritta Lane added 16 points for Aiea.
Kimberlee Morikawa hit three 3-pointers en route to a team-high 13 points for the Menehune.
Moanalua 11 15 7 12-45 Aiea 10 11 13 15-49Moanalua: Jenelle Uyeda 0, Marlo Daniels 4, Mayumi Stevens 7, Oneshia Walker 0, Kimberlee Morikawa 13, Erin Cho 12, Brianna Huddy 9.Aiea: Joelle Sugai 0, Kylee Nakamura 20, Lauren Ho 2, Ashley Watanabe 4, Aritta Lane 16Keesha Aldridge 7.
3-pointers-Moa: Morikawa 3. Aiea: Nakamura 2.
Kalaheo 42, Roosevelt 33: Angela Melton and Kim Ross both scored 10 points as the Mustangs won the junior varsity championship.
Elizabeth Lembeck led the Rough Riders with 11 points.
Kalaheo 0 13 15 14-42 Roosevelt 6 9 9 9-33High scorers-Kal: Angela Melton 10, Kim Ross 10. Roos: Elizabeth Lembeck 11.
