[ HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ]
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Punahou's Christine Takara (31), Kamehameha's Mounia Nihipali (right) and the Warriors' Miki Nakamura (behind) battled for a rebound during the first period last night.
Buffanblu hang on
to edge WarriorsThe defending state champions
defeat Kamehameha 37-33
The Punahou-Kamehameha girls basketball rivalry added another classic to its history book last night.
CORRECTION
Thursday, April 8, 2003>> Eryn Chun was the Punahou basketball player who dived for a loose ball late in the game Saturday against Kamehameha. A story on Page B7 Sunday incorrectly identified the player as Christine Takara. Also, Takara scored six points in the game; the story said incorrectly that she scored seven.
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at fbridgewater@starbulletin.com.The defending state champion Buffanblu improved to 4-0 by holding off the Warriors 37-33 at Kekuhaupio Gym.
The lead changed hands five times and the game featured six ties. A football-style scrum was the turning point.
Punahou's Christine Takara and Kamehameha's India Soo chased a slippery, bounding ball and collided while diving for it. The ball squirted out to the Buffanblu's Chelsea Deptula, who fired to Shanna-Lei Dacanay on the low post for a basket and a 32-30 lead with 1:30 to go.
"This victory really showed the character of our team," Buffanblu coach Mike Taylor said. "They refuse to lose."
Takara's inside hoop on a feed from Dacanay made it 34-30 with 50 ticks left.
The Warriors (2-2) made it interesting when Mounia Nihipali converted a three-point play to cut it to 34-33 with 37 seconds to go.
One free throw from Eryn Chun boosted the Punahou lead to 35-33, and Kamehameha called timeout with one more chance for the win or a tie with only nine seconds remaining. But Nihipali took the inbound pass and her attempt to hit a teammate went out of bounds. Dacanay hit the final two free throws to wrap it up.
"It's always disappointing when you get this far and then we don't give ourselves a chance at the end," Kamehameha coach Clay Cockett said. "We didn't execute that pass, and sometimes one bad pass is the difference between a win or a loss."
Soo had a game-high 15 points, including seven in the third quarter, when Kamehameha led by as many as five at 19-14. Nihipali also had a strong second half for the Warriors, with eight of her 10 points to keep her team right in it.
"We didn't come through at the end," Soo said. "Next time it will be a different story. They (Punahou) went on a run (10-5 to close out the third) that we should have stopped. They were lucky."
Deptula was Punahou's high scorer with eight points, including four in the aforementioned run.
Teammate Sophia Merrifield hit two big baseline jumpers in the final period to break ties of 26-26 and 28-28, and Takara scored all seven of her points in the second half.
"Christine (Takara) stepped up late in the game," Taylor said.
"We needed her to be aggressive and she did the job. When she explodes, not many can stop her. Sophia hit those shots that they (the Warriors) were giving to us. We got fortunate."
Early in the second quarter, the Buffanblu went on a 8-2 run to turn an 8-6 first-quarter deficit into a 14-10 lead. Ciana Aiwohi's 16-footer and Dacanay's baseline drive fueled Punahou's effort.
The Warriors, who got six first-half points from Soo -- including a 3-pointer at the first-quarter buzzer -- cut it to 14-12 at the half on Tatriana Lorenzo's runner in the lane.
"They really gave us some trouble," Punahou's Takara said about the Warriors. "Once we got going, we tightened it up upstairs (mentally) and focused. I expect them to be tough again the next time we play. They always are."
At Kekuhaupio gym
Punahou (4-0) 6 8 10 13 --37 Kamehameha (2-2) 8 4 12 9 --33 PUNAHOU--Shanna-Lei Dacanay 6, Eryn Chun 7, Ciana Aiwohi 2, Makena Hunt 0, Mahina Macfarlane 0, Tessa Sonobe 0, Sophia Merrifield 6, Chelsea Deptula 8, Christine Takara 6, Gail Matsushima 2.
KAMEHAMEHA--Miki Nakamura 0, India Soo 15, Lori Nakamura 2, Analee Viena Lota 0, Jordan Tangonan 0, Tatriana Lorenzo 6, Danna Friedemann 0, Lilia Lee 0, Mounia Nihipali 10.
3-point goals -- Punahou 0, Kamehameha 2 (Soo 2).
Iolani 45, Sacred Hearts 31: Alana Wall scored 13 points and Hennasea-Sue Tokumura added 10 as the Raiders remained undefeated with a win over the Lancers.
Iolani raced off to a 15-7 lead after the first quarter and nearly doubled its lead to 27-13 at halftime.
Megan Burton scored 14 for Sacred Hearts.
At Iolani
Sacred Hearts (0-4) 7 6 10 8 --31 Iolani (4-0) 15 12 9 9 --45 SACRED HEARTS--Megan Burton 14, Rebecca Debo 2, Nicole Lehner 13, Tiare McClellan 0, Karis Moi-Simeona 0, Malia Okamura 2, Samantha Saito 0, Tameika Trujillo 0, Sandy Tsui 0, Lola Williams 0.
IOLANI--Kaz Masutani 4, Chelsea Unemori 0, Hennasea-Sue Tokumura 10, Alana Matayoshi 1, Ginger Gravelle 9, Marci Kang 4, Alana Wall 13, Meilin Akamu 0, Sarah Turgeon 0, Keilyn Fujioka 4, Chelsea Wong 0.
3-point goals -- Iolani 2 (Tokumura 2).
Division II
Word of Life 43, Hawaii Baptist 28
Christian Academy 47, Hanalani 40
University 39, La Pietra 34
Kamehameha 43, Punahou 39, OT
Leading scorers--WOL: Careena Onosai 20. HBA: Jodi Kanemoto 10. UHS: Iwalani Yamaguchi 13, Brittany Anderson 10. LP: Jenny Kim 14. Kam: Aubrey Kiemnec 13. Pun: Kelsey Jandoc 10.Junior varsity
Division I
Iolani 39, St. Francis 30
Punahou Gold 37, Kamehameha White 24
Division II
Maryknoll 25, University 16
La Pietra 26, Hawaii Baptist 17
OIA WEST
Kapolei 33, Waipahu 14: Tanya Menino scored 11 points to lead the Hurricanes in a rout over the Marauders.After both teams failed to score over seven points in any of the first three quarters, Kapolei used a 15-5 run in the fourth to seal the win.
Laura Florendo and Ashley Mendoza scored four each for Waipahu, which lost its first game.
At Kapolei H.S. gym
Waipahu (2-1) 4 2 3 5 --14 Kapolei (3-1) 7 4 7 15 --33 WAIPAHU--MaryAnn Baxa 2, Renee Busch 0, Tiffany Caliboso 1, Nicole Enos 1, Laura Florendo 4, Tiare Kaulupali 0, Joanne Manuel 0, Ashley Mendoza 4, Malia Spencer 2, Juliana Sooalo 0.
KAPOLEI--Tasha Faumuina 2, Raelynn Reyes 0, Kamaile Kelekolio 0, Tanya Menino 11, Nicole Tamapua 2, Shauntay Leutu 0, Kayla Kam 8, Gabrielle Tabios 0, Jerrell Taituave 8, Shanna Arthur 0, Pamela Mellinger 0, Leafa Vagatai 2.
3-point goals -- None.
Junior varsity -- Kapolei 44, Waipahu 21
Pearl City 53, Campbell 44: Kamill Riego de Dios hit three 3-pointers to spark a 28-10 fourth-quarter run as the Chargers rallied past the Sabers.
Riego de Dios scored 13 of her game-high 28 points in the fourth. Marci Lobendahn chipped in with 17 for Pearl City.
Chaunte Jackson scored 11 points for Campbell.
At Campbell H.S. gym
Pearl City (3-1) 6 10 9 28 --53 Campbell (1-2) 10 14 10 10 --44 PEARL CITY--Lenny Radona 0, Miki Uyeshiro 0, Kellie Nishikida 2, Desiree Blaney 5, Kamill Riego de Dios 18, Mele Laulea 3, Marci Lobendahn 17, Lusia Kleinschmidt 8.
CAMPBELL--Joanne Corpuz 6, Nicole Jackson 4, Latara Tano 2, Shiann Leong 1, Tiani Sojot 2, Jenna Contemplo 7, Raynette Whitfield 6, Terri Feagiai 5, Chaunte Jackson 11.
3-point goals -- Pearl City 4 (Riego de Dios 4), Campbell 3 (Corpuz, Contemplo, Feagiai).
Junior varsity -- Pearl City 42, Campbell 21
Leilehua 43, Waianae 22: The Mules jumped out to a 14-0 lead after the first quarter en route to a win over the winless Seariders.
Pikake Nutter-Gaudet led Leilehua with 11 points.. Tashawn Mahoe hit a pair of 3-pointers and finished with eight to lead Waianae.
At Waianae H.S. gym
Leilehua (3-1) 14 14 8 7 --43 Waianae (0-3) 0 10 7 5 --22 LEILEHUA--Isis Atualevau 1, Charlene Borromeo 5, Heidi Hamilton 2, Shaina Matthias 7, Marquesha McVea 2, Pikake Nutter-Gaudet 11, Mahela Punley 0, Vanessa Ramelb 5, Laree Rodrigues 3, Brittaney Stafford 7.
WAIANAE--Leilani Faavesi 0, Aliah Irvine 0, Daina Correa 2, Chelsie Park 0, Naomi Lino 0, Charisse Estrera 0, Wendy Peltier 0, Tashawn Mahoe 8, Tihare DeMello 2, Audrey Hauge 5, Tiare Kealoha-Holbron 5, Naomi Endo 0.
3-point goals -- Leilehua 2 (Rodrigues 1, Ramelb 1), Waianae 4 (Mahoe 2, Hauge 1, Kealoha-Holbron 1).
Junior varsity -- Waianae 47, Leilehua 46
OIA EAST
Farrington 48, Kailua 32: The Governors hit three 3-pointers during an 18-5 second-quarter run to beat the Surfriders.Sunshine Misa-Uli scored 18 points to lead Farrington, with Joanna Montero and Tanya Sale adding in 11 each.
Kori Maekawa and Ashley Shigaki scored nine points each in the loss.
At Farrington H.S. gym
Kailua (0-4) 13 5 8 6 --32 Farrington (2-2) 14 18 9 7 --48 KAILUA--Kori Maekawa 9, Kalina Kama 6, Ashley Shigaki 9, Tanisha Milca 0, Keala Iaea 2, Pomai Fernandez 0, Pohai Hovey 6, Zoe Morgain 0.
FARRINGTON--Joanna Montero 11, Rachael Ancheta 3, Audrina Esera 3, Tanya Sale 11, Shirlyn Tamboa 2, Sandy Tauta 0, Marissa Keohohou 0, Laticia Ioane 0, Sunshine Misa-Uli 18.
3-point goals -- Kailua 2 (Maekawa 1, Shigaki 1), Farrington 5 (Montero 3, Ancheta 1, Esera 1).
Junior varsity -- Farrington 63, Kailua 35
McKinley 64, Roosevelt 43: The Tigers hit three 3-pointers and scored 25 points in the first quarter to hand the Rough Riders their first loss of the season.
Chelsie Sato finished with 21 points to lead four McKinley players into double figures. Meagan Miyasaka added 15, Chantal Yadao 12 and Bre Carson scored 11.
Tati Beasley led Roosevelt with 12 points and Chelsie Kadota had 10.
At Roosevelt H.S. gym
McKinley (2-1) 25 10 13 16 --64 Roosevelt (3-1) 12 4 18 9 --43 MCKINLEY--Chantal Yadao 12, Chelsie Sato 21, Christine Ching 0, Meagan Miyasaka 15, Melody Ababa 5, Bre Carson 11, Janine Corpuz 0, Linda Fowler 0 .
ROOSEVELT--Tati Beasley 12, Chelsie Kadota 10 , Dasha Kawakami 3, Larisa Nakasone 7, Capi Uyechi 0, Nicole Yoshimoto 4, Shannon Miyashiro 5, Dara Kiyuna 0, Nicole Okada 2, Miya Frank 0.
3-point goals -- McKinley 4 (Yadao 2, Sato 1, Ababa 1), Roosevelt 2 (Nakasone 2).
Junior varsity -- Roosevelt 48, McKinley 26
Kahuku 76, Kalani 62: The Red Raiders started the game with a 7-0 run and never looked back in a win over the Falcons to remain undefeated.
Latoya Wily scored a game-high 28 points and Aisha Ale added in 15 for Kahuku.
Tamari Miyashiro scored 15 points and Megan Kaneshiro hit three 3-pointers to finish with 13 to lead Kalani.
At Kalani H.S. gym
Kahuku (4-0) 17 23 19 17 --76 Kalani (2-2) 9 18 17 18 --62 KAHUKU--Karla Tailele 8, Camilla Ah-Hoy 11, Monarisa Ale 2, Tina Soliai 2, Anny Soliai 6, Latoya Wily 28, Aisha Ale 15, Nancy Vave 2, Ane Vea 2, Delicia Wilson 0.
KALANI--Richline Batoon 12, Liandra Bonifacio 2, Keri Hee 8, Nicole Isemoto 7, Megan Kaneshiro 13, Alisa Lum 5, Tamari Miyashiro 15, Karlie Saiki 0, Kristie Saiki 0, Krista Young 0.
3-point goals -- Kahuku 1 (Ah Hoy 1), Kalani 6 (Kaneshiro 3, Batoon 2, Lum1).
Junior varsity -- Kalani 41, Kahuku 38
