GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kahuku players celebrated as they upset Kamehameha 59-54 in the state playoffs last night at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Red Raiders upset
defending championsKahuku hits the glass to upset
Kamehameha in the first round
This war was won on the boards.
The Oahu Interscholastic Association third-place Kahuku Red Raiders pulled off a major upset last night in a 59-54 victory over defending state champion Kamehameha at the Stan Sheriff Center.
The Red Raiders (12-2) did it by total rebounding domination. They outboarded the Warriors 22-6 in the first half and 36-23 overall in front 1,081 fans in the Hawaiian Airlines State Basketball Tournament first-round showcase game.
"They're one of the best teams," Warriors coach Clay Cockett said about Kahuku minutes after the game. "It's always disappointing when you lose, and who knows what we could have done to beat them. They may have placed third in the OIA, but they're not a second-place or a third-place type of team.
"I was most impressed by the way they hustled. They played hard the whole game."
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kamehameha's Jeneka Taeoalii and Kahuku's Lesina Funaki battled for a loose ball last night.
The Red Raiders move on to play Big Island champion Konawaena (13-0) at 5 p.m. today.
"It was kind of helter-skelter out there," Kahuku coach Wendy Anae said. "The girls wanted it so badly. The girls went after everything. A lot of it, they played on their own instincts.
"We did get a lot of put-backs and rebounding was big for us. The girls were so hungry coming off the OIA tournament and disappointed coming off that loss to Farrington in the semifinals. Our kids are great, they have fighting spirit."
Kamehameha (12-3) chipped away at Kahuku's 14-9 first-quarter lead as Megan Ching scored four points in an early second quarter surge and six points overall in the period to pull the Warriors even at 24.
The Red Raiders earned a slim 26-24 lead at the half, thanks to Aisha Ale's basket off the glass.
Kahuku went up by seven, 31-24, early in the third period when Karla Tailele cranked in a 3-pointer and finished a fast break with a layup.
But it was nip and tuck the rest of the way. Ching's nine third-quarter points allowed the Warriors to cut Kahuku's lead to just one, 39-38, heading to the final eight minutes.
Ching, the Star-Bulletin's reigning player of the year, then hit a three-point play early in the fourth for a 41-40 edge --Kamehameha's first lead since early in the game. She finished with a game-high 31 points.
But Kahuku continued to run and pound it on both ends of the court, scoring six straight points for a 46-41 bulge.
At Stan Sheriff Center
KAHUKU --Camilla Ah-Hoy 0, Michelle Peters 3, Mona Ale 12, Lesina Funaki 6, Artevia Wily 2, Karla Tailele 10, Aisha Ale 6, Latoya Wily 18, Christina Soliai 2.
Kahuku (12-2) 14 12 13 20 -- 59 Kamehameha (12-3) 9 15 14 16 -- 54 KAMEHAMEHA -- Jeneka Taeoalii 7, Jordan Tangonan 0, India Soo 4, Tiffiny Shim 2, Ho'o Hee , Wendy Kashiwabara 0, Tatriana Lorenzo 2, Lehua Wood 0, Mounia Nihipali 6, Megan Kanoa 2, Megan Ching 31.
3-point goals: Kahuku 2 (Tailele, Funaki), Kamehameha 1 (Ching).
McKinley 69, Kealakehe 52
The Tigers struggled in the early going against the Waveriders' fluent passing and set-up offense.
But McKinley (11-4) pulled away in the second quarter and built a hefty 13-point lead at the half and was never seriously threatened again.
Post Amber Lee, who will play for the University of Hawaii next year, came out strong after being benched for nearly half of the Tigers' OIA third-place loss to Kahuku. Lee scored 11 of her 17 points in the first 16 minutes. She also finished with 13 rebounds, while Ceslie Ma'afala also contributed with 13 boards. Teammate Chantal Yadao scored 11 of her game-high 18 points in the second half.
Saundra Cariaga led Kealakehe with nine rebounds and her 17 points shared team-high honors with Candice DeSilva.
"It definitely could have been a little closer, a little tougher," Waveriders coach Lynelle Kamakau said. "The girls tried to make up (missing) those free throws (four of nine in the first half). We needed to get the ball to fall."
In the second half, Kealakehe went 18 of 23 from the line, but the game was out of reach by then.
McKinley plays ILH champion and tournament top-seed Punahou (14-0) tonight at 8. Kealakehe (10-4) meets Waimea at 2 in a consolation-bracket game.
"It's a relief to put the first round behind us," Tigers coach Jesse Victorino said. "We're excited about going against Punahou tomorrow. We shouldn't be overly excited or scared because the OIA tournament's last game and this game got us used to playing here (at the Sheriff Center), and we played Punahou on the up-and-up (11-point loss) without Amber in the preseason."
MCKINLEY -- Chantal Yadao 18, Rayna Isaki 1, Kauai Quartero 2, Kelli Fukumoto 0, Meagan Miyasaka 0, Melody Ababa 2, Bre Carson 14, Janine Corpuz 0, Kimberly Elia 2, Maria Lievan 0, Sharlee Kitaoka 2, Ceslie Ma'afala 9, Amber Lee 17, Tania Liufau 2.
McKinley (11-4) 14 18 19 18 -- 69 Kealakehe (10-4) 13 6 11 22 -- 52 KEALAKEHE --Leila Kang 4, Jennifer Ching 0, Neesh-Ann Kimitete 10, Ashlee Moncier 0, Nalani Hee 0, Kahaunani Kahananui 2, Nikita Nakamoto 0, Saundra Cariaga 17, Candice DeSilva 17, Raychel Moi 2, Raynell Shim 0.
3-point goals: McKinley 5 (Yadao 4, Carson), Kealakehe 2 (DeSilva 2).
Farrington 50, Waimea 25
The OIA second-place Governors (11-4) fine-tuned their ever-improving game with a rout of the Menehunes (9-4).
Laosamoa Misa-Uli scored all 12 of her points in the first half, while Meleane Mateaki chipped in with 10 rebounds to lead Farrington.
"Our main concern was coming out strong in the first quarter," Governors coach Jenic Tumaneng said. "We talked about the OIA championship game (when they had five quick first-quarter turnovers and were beaten handily by Moanalua) and that got us real down. This time we put some points on the board and the team in general executed well."
Farrington plays Maui Interscholastic League champion Baldwin (13-2), the tournament's No. 4 seed, today at 3:30.
"Our inside game was on," Govs guard Revelyn Cabaya said. "In the next game, we've got to lessen the turnovers and control the tempo. That's part of my job and we'll continue to try to push it up."
Kauai Interscholastic Federation champion Waimea had trouble keeping up with the bigger, more aggressive Govs' forwards and trailed 20-0 before hitting a free throw.
"We saw the OIA tournament tapes and thought we could match up with them," Waimea coach Elton Montemayor said. "But their size took over the game and we couldn't get rebounds."
FARRINGTON -- Revelyn Cabaya 7, Ellaine Bihag 4, Gretchen Santos 1, Joanne Fernandez 2, Jo Ann Montiero 2, Shirlynn Tambua 2, Sandy Tauta 0, Racquel Rivera 0, Merissa Keohohou 0, Paepaetele Poasa 6, Tanya Alualu 4, Talia Tupua 0, Audrina Esera 0, Hanau Kaiura 2, Meleane Mateaki 8, Laosamoa Misa-Uli 12.
Farrington (11-4) 17 15 12 6 -- 50 Waimea (9-4) 0 5 8 12 -- 25 WAIMEA -- Chantelle Briones 5, Ashley Mier 1, Lorraine Lagoc 0, Tiana Samio 1, Mallorie Hepa 3, Charise Ponce 2, Janna Soto 2, Jessica Jacinto 4, Joanna Jacinto 4, Jenalyn Andres 0, Ashlee Vea 0, Virginia Aguilar 3.
3-point goals: Farrington 2 (Cabaya, Bihag), Waimea 1 (Briones).
Lahainaluna 53, Maryknoll 43
Even with 6-foot-2 center Fatai Halaapiapi in foul trouble most of the game, the Lunas led most of the way against the Spartans.
The Maui Interscholastic League's second-place team (13-3) faces OIA champion and No. 2 seed Moanalua (13-0) today at 6:30 p.m.
Halaapiapi (13 points, nine rebounds) picked up her third foul with 1:24 to go in the first quarter, but her teammates picked up the slack. The Lunas got the job done with solid shooting (48.8 percent) and they controlled the boards, (41-33) too. Lahainaluna denied Maryknoll many second opportunities with a 32-16 edge in defensive rebounds.
Junior Monika Vehikite had a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
When Halaapiapi wasn't in foul trouble, she was the focus of the Maryknoll defense. That left sophomore Kelci Fushikoshi open on the outside. Fushikoshi was 2-for-3 from 3-point land and finished with 12 points.
"We executed the offense the way we were supposed to," Lahainaluna coach Todd Rickard said. "When they came out to challenge us, we pounded the ball inside to Fatai and Monika. When they collapsed on them, we brought it back outside and Kelci was able to hit some 3s.
"Maryknoll played tough, but you could tell their offense wasn't in a flow and they weren't hitting their shots.
The Spartans (9-8) brought the most spectators to the Stan Sheriff Center for their first state appearance in five years. But not even the crowd could rally Maryknoll after a lackluster start.
Maryknoll shot just 20 percent in the first half. The Spartans trimmed a double-digit deficit to two in the third quarter. Sophomore Cheryl Lee's 10-foot jumper swished to get Maryknoll to 30-28, but Lahainaluna went on a 9-0 run for a double-digit lead.
"We came out with no energy. We came out flat," Spartans coach Bobby Samson said. "We didn't shoot the ball well. You've got to credit the big girl (Halaapiapi). They controlled the boards. They shot the ball well.
"We got her in foul trouble, but we couldn't capitalize. Our offense was stagnant. We (nearly) caught up and then they started shooting well. They scored at the right time. Our shots didn't fall."
The Spartans play Kamehameha in a consolation game tomorrow at 2 p.m.
MARYKNOLL -- Jessica Akamine 6, Tammie Andres 8, Kristie Watanabe 0, Rachel Chang 0, Whitney Wong 4, Jessica Ho 2, Lauren Lau 0, Cheryl Lee 15, Sela Fisilau 8.
Maryknoll (9-8) 11 15 7 10 -- 43 Lahainaluna (13-3) 22 8 9 14 -- 53 LAHAINALUNA -- Tasha Pagdilao 2, Krystle Omlan 3, Kelci Fushikoshi 12, Jessica Maielua 0, Tiara Kukahiko 0, Alise Hutch 3, Monika Vehikite 14, Monique Blando 6, Fatai Halaapiapa 13.
3-point goals: Maryknoll 2 (Andres, Wong), Lahainaluna 4 (Fushikoshi 2, Omlan, Hatch).
Star-Bulletin reporter Grace Wen contributed to this report.
