The right Roosevelt shows
up to beat Pearl City

Bobby Keanini isn't sure which team will show up on game days.

Fortunately for the Roosevelt head coach, the right one did yesterday.

Plagued by inconsistency most of the season, the Lady Rough Riders put together their most complete game and overwhelmed Pearl City 68-31 in the opening round of the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoffs held at Kaiser High.

Injuries in the preseason set the Rough Riders back, and the subsequent return of the players forced Keanini to get creative to find a lineup with chemistry.

"It's been a long season," Keanini said. "We've been so up and down with consistency. We had a great week of practice, probably the greatest week we had the whole year.

"We have never played a game when we've played four (whole) quarters. We had a breakout game (today) and I hope it carries over tomorrow night."

The Lady Rough Riders (5-8) hope to take a little momentum into tonight's quarterfinal matchup against top-seeded Kalaheo. It's a tall order, but Roosevelt finds comfort in knowing the best might be yet to come.

"The season's been a little bit rough for us," guard Larisa Nakasone said. "We still haven't played our best game yet. Today was better, but we're not at our full potential.

"Tati (Beasley) and Shannon (Miyashiro) really stepped it up. When we got them the ball, we scored. We really feed off each other -- when we're all together on one page, we look unstoppable."

Miyashiro scored 18 points and Beasley added 14 points to lead the Lady Rough Riders. Freshman Kaitlynn Simmonds contributed nine points and senior guard Nicole Yoshimoto had eight points.

Roosevelt controlled the game from the first quarter, taking a 14-4 lead on freshman Dianna Zane's 3-pointer. Roosevelt shot 48 percent from the field in the first half and cruised to a 32-14 lead at the intermission.

The turnover-happy Chargers didn't help their own cause with 16 turnovers and miserable shooting (five of 17) in the first half.

The inexperienced Chargers struggled handling the ball. And it didn't help when Pearl City's only senior, Mele Laulea, picked up her fourth foul 30 seconds into the third quarter. With Laulea on the bench, Roosevelt closed the third period with a 15-0 run.

The Chargers showed a little bit of an offensive spark in the fourth quarter, getting baskets from Jazmin Pahukoa-Malia, a trey from Crystal Tadeo and an 18-foot jumper by Channette Nakama in the first 3 minutes.

Pahukoa-Malia led the Chargers (5-8) with six points.

"Roosevelt came to play. They were ready and we weren't," said Chargers coach Mike Morton, who was often diagramming fundamentals during timeouts. "Our intensity has been lacking this year. We need to mature and get better."

At Kaiser H.S. gym

Pearl City (5-8)	6	8	4	13	--	31
Roosevelt (5-8)	14	18	21	15	--	68

PEARL CITY--Crystal Tadeo 5, Tiana Bolosan 0, Desiree Luis 4, Tiani Alatini 2, Lindsay Cartwright 4, Tiffany Gadingan 0, Channette Nakama 4, Tazha Passi 2, Jazmin Pahukoa-Malia 6, Deena Tupinio 0, Tiffany Manning 4, Mele Laulea 0, Kaiona Auyong 0.
ROOSEVELT-- Dianna Zane 5, Tati Beasley 14, Chelsie Kadota 5, Dasha Kawakani 3, Larisa Nakasone 4, Kaitlynn Simmonds 9, Nicole Yoshimoto 8, Noelle Kawelo 2, Shannon Miyashiro 18, Kayleen Kaaiai 0.
3-point goals -- Pearl City 1 (Tadeo), Roosevelt 4 (Yoshimoto 2, Zane, Miyashiro).

Kaiser 48, Nanakuli 33

The Cougars led 27-4 lead at the half and seemed headed for a blowout. But the Golden Hawks didn't go quietly.

With Kaiser coach Lisa Mann playing her reserves, Nanakuli trimmed a 26-point deficit and clawed to within 40-30 in the final period. But Mann reinserted her starters and the Cougars closed out the game. Kaiser faces Radford in a quarterfinal showdown today.

Kehau Bangay scored 14 points to lead the Cougars.

Guard Nikki Lehner added 10 points.

Kaiser starter Jamie Nerona left the game with a mild concussion and did not return.

At Kaiser H.S. gym

Nanakuli (3-10)	3	1	9	20	--	33
Kaiser (9-4)	11	16	9	12	--	48

NANAKULI--Sasha Montez 6, Kristen Serrano 1, Delisha Kaimi 0, Vernadine Vickers 9, Lahela Kanagasuku 3, Chantel Tuiloma 4, Sierra Nakea 10.
KAISER--Nicole Lehner 10, Jaime Nerona 0, Kehau Bangay 14, Jolie Yoshino 3, Sharde Pratt 6, Rene Shitanishi 4, Kelsey Beck 2, Ui Kaonohi 1, Kilioe Aliifua 8.
3-point goals -- Nanakuli 1 (Kanagasuku), Kaiser 1 (Lehner).