Saturday, February 9, 2002

[ HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS ]

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Castle ends Radford’s
season with late basket

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By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.com

For once, Castle basketball coach Rocky Fraticelli was glad his players didn't follow his instructions.

With fewer than 20 seconds left and the score tied, Fraticelli tried to call time out. Instead, Castle guard Joel Botelho found Po'okela Craig- Rodenhurst for the winning basket in the Knights' 42-40 victory over Radford last night in the quarterfinals of the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoffs.

"I was yelling for a time out, but the referee couldn't hear me," Fraticelli said. "But if he did, we wouldn't have had that basket."

Castle's victory at Kalaheo gym gave the Knights a spot in next week's semifinals and a berth in the state tournament. Radford ended its season at 8-3.

Castle took a 37-33 advantage into the fourth quarter, but Radford tied the game at 40 on a free throw by Kula Tanuvasa with 28.8 seconds left.

With Fraticelli yelling for a timeout, Botelho drove into the lane and found Craig-Rodenhurst who hit a short jumper for the go-ahead score.

Radford had a final chance with 6.5 seconds left, but Michael Proctor swatted away the Rams' last-gasp shot.

At Kalaheo H.S. gym

Castle (9-3)	14	12	11	5	--	42
Radford (8-3)	11	14	8	7	--	40

CASTLE -- Justin Bruhn 5, William Harvest 2, Michael Proctor 6, Charles Teixeira 7, Ryen Isip 7, Joel Botelho 5, Donnie Aberilla 0, Pookela Craig-Rodenhurst 10, Kurtis Kanekoa 0.

RADFORD -- Justin Rellin 6, 0. Charles Seanior 0, Jeffery O'Garro 6, Joshua Auelua 5, Kula Tanuvasa 12, James Johnson 7, Chris Williams 4, La Micheal Wilkins

3-point goals -- Castle 2 (Botelho, Isip). Radford 1 (O'Garro).

KALAHEO 61, KAISER 40

Thanks to a halftime wake-up call, the defending OIA and state champion Mustangs moved on to the OIA semifinals.

With Kalaheo holding a 23-22 lead at intermission, Mustang coach Pete Smith let his players know exactly what was at stake in the second half.

"I told them either we're going to the state tournament or you turn in your uniforms tomorrow," Smith said.

The Mustangs responded by outscoring Kaiser 18-9 in the third quarter and won by a deceptively large margin.

Ikaika Alama-Francis scored 18 of his game-high 27 points in the second half, including nine in the decisive third quarter.

The Cougars stayed with Kalaheo throughout the first half and took a 22-21 lead late in the second quarter on two free throws by Noah Amerson. Alama-Francis answered with two free throws with five seconds left to give Kalaheo the lead at halftime.

Kalaheo opened the third quarter with a 9-2 run to take control. Kaiser, which attempted just five field goals in the period, would get no closer than six the rest of the way.

At Kalaheo H.S. gym

Kaiser (6-6)	9	13	9	9	--	40
Kalaheo (11-0)	14	9	18	20	--	61

KAISER -- Jody Marxen 0, Louie Matsumoto 0, Kekoa Kamauoha 0, Moki Larson 0, Noah Amerson 4, Ivan Sakata 7, Geoff Billingsley 0, Dayne Uchiyama 0, Jason Peters 13, Drew Gregerson 7, Garret Wong 0, Tyler Fujie 0, Tony Carpenter 0, Sean Samson 0, Nathan Gano 2, Audun Eskeland 7.

KALAHEO -- Charles Elliott 0, Michael Gayle 10, James Robertson 0, Max Anton 1, Shaine Harada 0, Ikaika Alama-Francis 27, William Elliott 1, Zane Cabral 0, Neil Bowers 0, Justin Pedrina 5, DC Daniels 9, Theo Fujita 0, Michael Garcia 2, Jeremy Neufeldt 2, Sam Wilhoite 4.

3-point goals -- Kaiser 3 (Sakata, Peters, Eskeland). Kalaheo 5 (Gayle 2, Alama-Francis 2, Pedrina).

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