[ HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ]
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Leilehua's Heidi Hamilton put up a shot during last night's game as teammate Mahela Punley (12) looked on.
Mules step up to make
Nutter-Gaudet a winner
On a night when Pikake Nutter-Gaudet did everything but fill water bottles, the Leilehua Mules discovered something their senior standout already knew.
To win, they have to step up as a team.
Mahela Punley scored 10 points, while Charlene Borromeo hustled for nine and sharpshooter Laree Rodrigues added nine more as Leilehua stifled Pearl City 54-46 last night.
Nutter-Gaudet, acknowledged by most coaches as the best player in the West, scored just seven points, but was invaluable, adding 10 rebounds and 10 steals.
After Wednesday's heartbreaking last-second loss to Radford, Nutter-Gaudet insisted that it would be her teammates that would step to the forefront if the Mules were to succeed -- and they did.
"We can't just rely on Pikake all the time," Leilehua coach Elroy Dumlao said. "Plus, everyone's after her."
The Mules evened their Oahu Interscholastic Association West Division record at 1-1. Leilehua's next game is at home against Aiea on Wednesday.
A relatively mild crowd at Pearl City's gym saw the Chargers drop to 1-1 in what may be a stronger West Division this season. The Chargers won the division last season with a 10-0 mark. Pearl City hosts West title contender Kapolei on Wednesday.
Marci Lobendahn led the Chargers, who trailed by 11 in the second quarter, with 16 points and five rebounds. "I don't know. We have to turn the ball over less and play better defense," the senior forward said. "I'm not really surprised by Leilehua. We just didn't come out with the same intensity they did."
Dumlao was not surprised that his team bounced back from the Radford loss.
"The loss was a one-game thing. That happens with a young team," Dumlao said. "Today, the shots were falling early, and that made everything easier."
The Mules shot the lights out in the first half against Pearl City's man-to-man defense. Nutter-Gaudet scored all of her points in the first six minutes, and then her teammates jumped on the scoring train.
Rodrigues, a junior, scored six points in a row to end the opening quarter as Leilehua took a 15-9 lead. Leilehua stretched its lead to 22-11, its biggest of the game, with 5:47 left in the first half.
Pearl City hung in and chipped away. Lobendahn and center Mele Laulea hustled underneath, combining for 14 first-half points against the smaller Mules. Still, Leilehua led 33-24 at intermission.
The Chargers pulled within 37-32 on Lobendahn's power move down low for a three-point play. Point guard Desiree Blaney, who had a team-high eight rebounds, left the game for a quick breather, and Leilehua went to its full-court press.
That move by Dumlao netted five Charger turnovers in a span of 1:40. By the time Blaney returned, Leilehua had extended the lead to 41-32.
The Mules kept the full-court pressure on. An 8-2 run, sparked by Borromeo's hustle and defense, lifted Leilehua to a 49-36 lead with 4:03 to play. Pearl City got no closer than the final eight-point margin.
Leilehua's full-court pressure was effective, but don't expect to see 32 minutes of Mule mania. "We have a young bench, and if I pressed all the time, our bench would die," Dumlao said.
Pearl City finished with 22 turnovers, but forced Leilehua into 27 giveaways. The Chargers also outrebounded the Mules, 31-27.
Dumlao doesn't think Pearl City will be down very long. "Mike (Morton) is a great coach. They'll be back," he said.
At Pearl City H.S. gym
Leilehua (1-1) 15 18 10 11 -- 54 Pearl City (1-1) 9 15 10 13 -- 46 LEILEHUA--Isis Atualevau 4, Charlene Borromeo 9, Heidi Hamilton 6, Marquesha McVea 0, Pikake Nutter-Gaudet 7, Mahela Punley 10, Laree Rodrigues 11, Brittaney Stafford 7.
PEARL CITY--Lenny Radona 4, Miki Uyeshiro 0, Kellie Nishikida 4, Desiree Blaney 3, Kamill Riego de Dios 7, Mele Laulea 7, Marci Lobendahn 16, Lusia Kleinschmidt 5.
3-point goals -- Leilehua 2 (Nutter-Gaudet, Rodrigues), Pearl City 1 (Riego de Dios).
Junior varsity -- Pearl City 54, Leilehua 44.
Kapolei 35, Waialua 25: Tanya Menino scored six of her eight points and Kayla Kam all five of hers in the second quarter as the Hurricanes took control.
Jerrell Taituave was team-high for Kapolei with 10 points. Jaime Souza led the Bulldogs with 14 points, including 10 of 13 from the line.
At Kapolei H.S. gym
Waialua (0-2) 7 7 5 6 -- 25 Kapolei (2-0) 6 15 4 10 -- 35 WAIALUA--Christina Dunn 0, Misty Maxwell 3, Samantha Segundo 0, Cheyenne Opianna 4, Jaime Souza 14, Melissa Baker 2, Jaylyn Keao 2, Julia Yamanouchi 0.
KAPOLEI--Tasha Faumuina 4, Raelynn Reyes , Kamaile Kelekolio 0, Tanya Menino 8, Nicole Tamapua 2, Shauntay Leutu 2, Kayla Kam 5, Gabrielle Tabios 2, Jerrell Taituave 10, Shanna Arthur 0, Pamela Mellinger 0, Leafa Vagatai 2.
3-point goals -- Waialua 1 (Maxwell), Kapolei 2 (Menino, Kam).
Junior varsity -- Kapolei 53, Waialua 26.
Radford 36, Campbell 23: Joanne Czumalowski scored all eight of her points in the fourth quarter, and Lia Mickey also scored eight as the Rams dominated the second half against the host Sabers.
Chaunte Jackson led Campbell with 10 points.
At Campbell H.S. gym
Radford (2-0) 5 2 14 15 -- 36 Campbell (1-1) 5 5 8 5 -- 23 RADFORD--Joanne Czumalowski 8, Sonya Legaspi 0, Nicole Grebe 0, Jenna Johnson-Endo 4, Ashley Rioux 0, Shanice Young 6, Leslie Lazo 0, Tereva Moore 6, Lia Mickey 8, Michelle Winebush 4, Manuma Filimaua 0, Kavika Punipuao 0.
CAMPBELL--Joanne Corpuz 4, Nicole Jackson 0, Latara Tano 0, Everly San Agustin 4, Shiann Leong 0, Tiani Sojot 0 , Jenna Contemplo 0, Raynette Whitfield 5, Terri Feagiai 0, Chaunte Jackson 10.
3-point goals -- Radford 3 (Mickey 2, Young), Campbell 1 (Jackson).
Junior varsity -- Radford 35, Campbell 29.
Mililani 36, Aiea 25: Erica James scored nine points to lead the Trojans.
Kalei Castillo had a game-high 10 points for Na Alii.
At Aiea H.S. gym
Mililani (1-1) 6 13 4 13 -- 36 Aiea (0-2) 7 7 6 5 -- 25 MILILANI--Suzy Jackson 3, Yvonne Morris 0, Ceclie Ma'afala 7, Kimberly Ebina 2, Lori Nonies 5, Crystal Ah Sam 0, Ku'ulei Agbayani 2, Chelcey Pang 1, Allyson Ochoa 0, Melissa Lehano 2, Christina Korodan 5, Erica James 9, Rebekah McKoy 0.
AIEA--Shareyn Muneoka 0, Donna Echalas 1, Shannon Nahoopii 1, Tiffany Pearson 0, Sherylann Miyashiro 0, Nicole Takemoto 2, Michelle Shiroma 0, Cheri Gauer 1, Felisha Liilii 0, Zori Drew 4, Kalei Castillo 10, Jamie Rosario 6.
3-point goals -- Mililani 1 (James).
Junior varsity -- Mililani 53, Aiea 5
Nanakuli 40, Waianae 25: Kaena Apana scored 11 points and Sierra Nakea added 10 as the Golden Hawks beat the Seasiders. Daina Correa led Waianae with eight points.
At Nanakuli H.S. gym
Waianae (0-1) 9 1 9 6 -- 25 Nanakuli (1-1) 4 13 7 16 -- 40 WAIANAE--Leilani Faavesi 5, Aliah Irvine 0, Daina Correa 8, Chelsie Park 0, Naomi Lino 1, Charisse Estrera 0, Wendy Peltier 2, Tihare DeMello 4, Audrey Hauge 2, Tiare Kealoha-Holbron 3, Naomi Endo 0.
NANAKULI--Kanani Kaimi 2, Kristen Serrano 3, Kaena Apana 11, Leilani Baca 0, Vernadine Vickers 2, Chalcedony Silva 2, Anja Nahalea 0, Lahela Kanagusuku 0, Sierra Nakea 10, Theodora Auwae 3, Sasha Kanahele 3, Victoria Mao 4.
3-point goals -- Waianae 4(Correa 2, Faavesi, DeMello), Nanakuli 3 (Apana, Serrano, Nakea).
Junior varsity -- Nanakuli 63, Waianae 53
ILH
Punahou 56, St. Francis 34: The Buffanblu outscored the Troubadors 16-4 in the second quarter to pull away. Punahou's Christine Takara scored a game-high 15 points.At Hemmeter Fieldhouse
St. Francis 9 4 13 8 -- 34 Punahou 12 16 11 17 -- 56 ST. FRANCIS: Monica Chock 6, Kanani Perry 0, Danielle Tanaka 5, Teski Ahai 0, Latasha Griffin 11, Jasmine Dulan 5, Chelsey Powell 0, Siutiti Takai 7.
PUNAHOU--Elizabeth Abe 2, Shanna-Lei Dacanay 12, Eryn Chun 4, Ciana Aiwohi 0, Lauren Tompkison 0, Makena Hunt 1, Mahina Macfarlane 2, Tessa Sonobe 3, Sophia Merrifield 6, Chelsea Deptula 7, Christine Takara 15, Whitney Kim 0, Gail Matsushima 4.
3-pointers -- St. Francis 2 (Tanaka, Griffin), Punahou 0.
Mid-Pacific 33, Maryknoll 28: Up 24-18 at the half, the Owls held onto their lead and squeaked out a win over the Spartans.
Mid-Pacific was led by the scoring of Morgen Sullivan, who finished with 10 points. Jasmine Vieira contributed 9.
At Mid-Pacific Institute gym
Maryknoll (2-1) 14 4 4 6 -- 28 Mid-Pacific (1-2) 10 14 4 5 -- 33 MARYKNOLL--Jessica Akamine 2, Tammie Andres 6, Kristie Watanabe 0, Nicole Fu 3, Whitney Wong 11, Jessica Ho 0, Bowha Kang 0, Cheryl Lee 2, Sela Fisilau 4.
MID-PACIFIC--Sherice Ajifu 7, Danielle Mafua 0, Miya Quinn 0, Jasmine Vieira 9, Kristina Lin 2, Kelli Kajiwara 5, Morgen Sullivan 10.
3-point goals -- Maryknoll 1 (Wong), Mid-Pacific 0.
Iolani 48, Kamehameha 31: The Raiders picked up their second win of the season as Alana Wall scored 13 points and Hennasea Tokumura added 12.
At Iolani gym
Kamehameha (2-1) 6 6 13 6 -- 31 Iolani (2-0) 10 14 11 13 -- 48 KAMEHAMEHA--Miki Nakamura 6, India Soo 6, Analee Viena Lota 5, Jordan Tangonan 2, Tatriana Lorenzo 7, Mounia Nihipali 5.
IOLANI--Kaz Masutani 2, Hennasea Tokumura 12, Alana Matayoshi 1, Ginger Gravelle 2, Marci Kang 5, Alana Wall 13, Meilin Akamu 5, Keilyn Fujioka 8.
3-point goals -- Iolani 1 (Tokumura).Junior varsity II
Maryknoll 33, St. Andrew's 28
