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Saturday, April 22, 2000
Troubadour girls
By Kalani Wilhelm
seek third straight
championship
Special to the Star-BulletinSt. Francis seeks its third consecutive ILH Division II girls' basketball title tonight when the Troubadours travel to Kekuhaupio Gym to take on Kamehameha in a 6 p.m. contest.
At 11-0 in league play, and 18-2 overall, St. Francis boasts the second best-record in the state along with the state's longest league win streak at 31 games.
The remarkable job of head coach Tony Tyler and his players hasn't been overlooked in the minds of coaches and media outlets across the state. Week after week, win after win, Tyler's club has made a steady climb in the state poll.
The Troubadours are No. 12, a lofty spot for a Division II team.
In order to stake claim to the school's third straight title, Tyler knows his players will have to put in a full game of hard-nosed hoops.
St. Francis beat Kamehameha 43-29 earlier in the season.
"They (Kamehameha) have been waiting for us to come to their place all year long,'' said Tyler. "Nobody goes up there and beats the Warriors without a fight.''
In Thursday's 34-23 win at Hawaii Baptist, St. Francis proved it could adapt and adjust to any team's style of play, whether it be a slow tempo or the run-and-gun open court style that the Troubadours prefer.
"It's a mental thing for us. When we work together, good things happen," said senior point guard Malena Feeney.
Tyler's team relies on a trapping half-court defense that thrives on frustrating opposing ballhandlers and a high post offense that works on getting easy buckets for post players Elizabeth Narkon and Jamila Jarmon.
"Our offense may be off sometimes but our defense is always banging,'' said Jarmon, the team's starting power forward.
"It's for the championship and I'm sure they don't want us dancing on their court," said Tyler. "We got to go out there knowing it's a hostile environment and play our game.''
OIA tourney seedings: No. 2 Kalaheo (9-0) and No. 3 Moanalua (10-0) are the top two seeds heading into next week's OIA girls' basketball tournament.
Kalaheo, Moanalua, McKinley (7-2) and Leilehua (9-1) all have first-round byes, and will play their first games Friday. Eight other teams begin Thursday. The semifinals are May 4, and the title game is May 6 at the Stan Sheriff Center.
