Milan responds
to lead Kaimuki
Nick Milan didn't mind being the object of Kaimuki coach Steven Lee's attention at halftime of the Bulldogs' game with Kalaheo last night.
"He (Lee) told me I had to start being more aggressive and play like it's my senior year," Milan said. "I've been waiting a couple of years for that (forward) spot, so finally it's time."
Indeed, Milan saved his biggest effort for his biggest game to date, tallying a career-high 20 points to lead the hosts to a 55-48 victory over the previously unbeaten Mustangs.
"At halftime, I really got on him," Lee said. "I told him that whenever Jimmy (Miyasaka) is out of the game, he has to step up, and he came through."
Most of Milan's points came near the basket, with many coming off of penetration by Bulldog point guard Kekoa Onaga, who kept the Mustangs off balance all night with his quickness.
"We wanted to penetrate a little bit more against them," Lee said. "We knew they'd come out and trap and do all kinds of stuff. Kekoa is a very good dribbler, and we wanted him to attack the basket. That was a big help to us."
With the win, the Bulldogs improved to 4-2 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association's Eastern Division. Kalaheo, which has won the last three OIA titles, fell to 5-1.
In addition to Milan, Miyasaka also came up big, scoring 17 points, including 14 in the second half. He also converted five of six free throws in the fourth quarter.
Kalaheo was led by 6-foot-7 center Sam Wilhoite, who finished with 26 points and eight rebounds. Nine of his points came by way of conventional three-point plays, while he also added a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Even so, nothing came easy, as Kaimuki relied on an active 2-3 zone against Wilhoite, simultaneously fronting him as well as playing in behind him, with help always on the way.
"He's going to get his points, and he's going to try and get everyone involved, but we had a couple of guys on him to hopefully slow him down," Milan said of Wilhoite.
"Milan hurt us around the bucket and Onaga got to the bucket a couple of times in the third quarter -- that really hurt us," Kalaheo coach Chico Furtado said.
Onaga (nine points) also came through at crunch time, finding Milan alone underneath for the basket that gave Kaimuki a 50-46 lead with 2:50 left. Moments later, following a narrow miss by Wilhoite, Miyasaka hit a jumper in the lane to make it 52-46, and the Bulldogs made three of four free throws in the last 18.5 seconds to seal Kalaheo's fate.
"I don't think our defense was very good," Furtado said. "We gave them way too many interior buckets. We knew we were going to be outsized at most of the positions, but that's no excuse. You have to be able to scrap and take some charges. Sam was working hard to block shots, but he cannot do it by himself."
Kaimuki had scored on seven of its first nine possessions and led by as many as nine points in the first half before the Mustangs rallied behind Wilhoite (eight points in the second quarter) to tie the game at 23 at the break.
After intermission, Kaimuki rebuilt the lead to 38-30 behind five straight points from Onaga, but Wilhoite figured big again, accounting for a 7-2 run by himself to pull Kalaheo within 40-37.
"We're happy with the win and the way the boys responded," Lee said. "We kind of went flat in the second quarter. I told them they had to be more aggressive, and they stepped up. I'm real proud of them."
At Kaimuki H.S. gym
Kalaheo (5-1) 15 8 19 14 -- 56 Kaimuki (4-2) 8 15 16 9 -- 48
Kalaheo--Chris Tumaneng 0, Matt Nakashima 3, Theo Fujita 2, William Elliot 11, Nate Witcher 2, David Moore 4, Daniel Phair 0, Sam Wilhoite 26.
Kaimuki--Kekoa Onaga 9, Jordan Wong 0, Dexter Tautofi 2, Jimmy Miyasaka 18, Nick Milan 20, Tony Faasoa 0, Isaiah Ano 7.
3-point goals: Kalaheo 3 (Elliot, Nakashima, Wilhoite).
Junior varsity -- Kaimuki 42, Kalaheo 36
McKinley 53, Roosevelt 48: Robert Holder scored 15 points and Abel Werner had 14 as McKinley rallied to beat Roosevelt.
After Roosevelt took an one-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Tigers rallied to take the game.
Westin Lee hit scored all of 15 points on 3-pointers to lead Roosevelt.
At Roosevelt H.S. gym
McKinley (4-2) 17 13 7 16 -- 53 Roosevelt (2-4) 13 16 7 12 -- 48
McKinley--Mark Nakatsuka 0, Abel Werner 14, Shane Quisano 12, Brandon Barbasa 0, Iakopo Taumua 2, Robert Holder 15, Quentin Sayers 3, Golden Lawrence 0, Josh Valdez 7, Bobby Shimabukuro 0, Chris Quiocho 0.
Roosevelt--Micah Dutro 0, Daniel Ki 2, Danton Balbas 12, James Castro 0, Westin Lee 15, Ricky Eusebio 3, La'akea Moikeha 5, Keo Keola 10, Kevin Fujii 0.
3-point goals: McKinley 5 (Valdez 2, Quisano 2, Holder 1), Roosevelt 6 (Lee 5, Eusebio 1)
Junior varsity --not reported
Castle 36, Kalani 34: Jonathan Horner scored seven of his eight points in the second quarter as the Knights outscored the Falcons 15-5 in the quarter before holding them off down the stretch.
Castle thundered back in the third, outscoring Kalani 15-6 to take a one-point lead entering the fourth, but the Knights used balanced scoring in the final quarter to win.
At Castle H.S. gym
Kalani (3-3) 6 5 15 8 -- 34 Castle (5-1) 4 15 6 11 -- 36
Kalani--Carsen Chun 9, Dusten Umeda 6, Cody D'Amata 0, Kellen Kashiwa 1, Cory Konishi 5, Zachary Felipe 0, Mark Bonner 0, Jason DeGuzman 10, Jonah Letoto 3.
Castle--Bryan Pelangka 4, Jonathan Horner 8, Junior Mansanas 4, Scott Keiter-Charles 0, Bryce Kalauokaaea 6, Jordan Bruhn 6, Herb Lee 4, Victor Clore 2, Blaze Soares 0, Scott Argue 2.
3-point goals: Kalani 2 (Chun, Letoto), Castle 1 (Horner).
Junior varsity -- Castle 57, Kalani 31
Kapolei 59, Aiea 39: Jefferson Gaygay scored 16 points and E.J. Aton added 12 as Kapolei beat winless Aiea.
The Hurricanes broke open the game with a 17-6 third-quarter run to extend a three-point halftime lead out to 14. Kapolei also converted 13 of 18 free throws to Aiea's four.
James Hadley hit three 3-pointers and finished with 13 points to lead Aiea.
At Aiea H.S. gym
Kapolei (5-1) 17 9 17 16 -- 59 Aiea (0-4) 7 16 6 10 -- 39
Kapolei-- Ryan Dela Cruz 2, E.J. Aton 14, Aaron Lewis 0, Jimmy Stevens 0, Jefferson Gaygay16 , Rod Smith 0, Zac Vierra 3, Roland Mason 2, Brad Padayao 7, Hector Malazarte 0, Jerrome Figueroa 3, Kaiea Ebanez 0, Warren Simanu 12.
Aiea-- Kali Kuia 6, Mark Alejo 2, Errol Rebold 0, Darryl Talaro 4, James Hadley 13, Gary Molina 8, Jonathan Burgos 0, Thomas Leary 2, Lenny Rimigio 0, Nicholas Helsham 4.
3-point goals: Kapolei 4 (Gaygay 2, Vierra 1, Padayao 1), Aiea 3 (Hadley 3)
Junior varsity -- Kapolei 54, Aiea 35
Moanalua 88, Thompson Academy 15: Moanalua had four players finish in double figures as the Menehunes defeated Thompson Academy.
Marquise Du Vall finished with 14 points to lead all players. Greg Morgan scored 12 while Jonathan Austad and Zachary Pendergast had 10 apiece.
Keo Evans-Gonda scored six of his 13 points in the first quarter for the Sharks.
At Moanalua H.S. gym
Thompson (0-6) 8 0 3 4 -- 15 Moanalua (4-2) 25 26 23 14 -- 88
Thompson--Keo Evans-Gonda 13, Justin Chang 0, John Abrams 0, Devin Eror 0, Aja Muncie 0, Lance Chang 2, Joshua Musick 0.
Moanalua--Glenn Gascon 2, Joseph Nishimura 6, Michael Loeschke 4, Marquise Du Vall 14, Jonathan Austad 10, Greg Morgan 12, Glenn Taijeron 0, Zachary Pendergast 10, Darin-Jay Shinagawa 0, Eric Keys 9, Ira Rodrigues 5, Kamoe Mehrtens 2, Micah Bagor 8, Sean Mullaney 2, Mitchell Kuga 0, Jameson Iereneo 4.
3-point goals: Thompson 2 (Evans-Gonda 2), Moanalua 5 (Austad 2, Pendergast 2, Rodrigues 1)
Monday
Waianae 74, Waialua 63: Justin Lafua scored 12 of his 21 points in the second half, and Junior Faliuga scored 18 points as the Seariders beat the Bulldogs.
Waialua 12 18 12 21 -- 63 Waianae (1-4) 13 19 20 22 -- 74
Waialua--Ronald Dacuycuy 4, Kelson Silva 16, Glenn Rubio 6, Mark Langaman 0, Joseph Gudoy 2, Joshua Miller 6, Jaive Nacapuy 5, Lawrence Sumaoang 12, Marlon Dela Cruz 2, Brandon Macadangdang 10, Geronimo Madarang 0, Daniel Maestas 0.
Waianae--Darrel Academia 4, Kevin Ah Chong 0, Dewey Davis 0, Junior Faliuga 18, Albert Galano 0, Easton Gonzales 0, Kala Honda 8, Gary Kuakini 0, Justin Lafua 21, Jayson Milare 9, Mark Mokiao 6, Chad Puha 0, James Robinson 3, John Solaita 5.
3-point goals--Waialua 6 (Miller 2, Silva 2, Nacapuy, Rubio).
Junior varsity--Waianae 42, Waialua 31