HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kahuku's Okesene Ale Jr. scored a career-high 38 points against Campbell last night in an OIA semifinal.
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Kahuku moves on in OIA after second-half surge
The Red Raiders defend their spot as the top seed
The show is always on for the Kahuku Red Raiders, even when times are tough.
After struggling against a tough defensive effort by Campbell, Kahuku exploded in the second half for a 73-59 win last night in the semifinals of the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoffs.
Okesene Ale Jr. was the catalyst, pouring in a career-high 38 points, including 28 after halftime. Kahuku (18-6 overall), the top seed in the East, will play Kaimuki tomorrow night at McKinley for the championship.
"We've got to get over this one real fast. I'll let them celebrate on the way back," Kahuku coach Nathan James said.
Though the Red Raiders are the top seed, this is the second year in a row that they will chase the title at a gym 35 miles away from home.
"It's not a factor at all. This (McKinley) is our home away from home," James said, noting the five games his team has played there in the past two seasons.
Campbell (10-2) will play Kalaheo, also tomorrow, for third place.
Kahuku went ahead for good on the 12th lead change of the game. Ale swished a 22-footer from the top to give the Red Raiders a 55-54 lead with 5:45 remaining. That triggered a 21-5 run to close out the win for Kahuku.
Ale, a 6-foot-1 senior, shot 13-for-25 from the field and 9-for-11 from the foul line. He tallied seven assists and hauled in 12 rebounds to help the Red Raiders dominate the glass.
Kahuku outrebounded Campbell 38-24. Devin Unga had 12 points and five boards, and Kevin Unga had nine points and nine rebounds.
Mike Makinano led Campbell with 19 points. Tristan Sealy added 18.
Campbell's ability to cause problems for Kahuku's offense led to a 31-29 Sabers lead at halftime.
"I felt like I was off in the first half," Ale said. "They shut me down. They got into my head. They'd stop my drive, and when I tried to dish, they have long arms."
Ale credited assistant coach Wayne Keys for charging the Red Raiders up.
"He said, 'Great teams don't turn it on and off. We're supposed to always be on,' " Ale said. "And our halfcourt trap slowed their momentum down."
Ale also had some encouragement for his team once they got out of the locker room. "This is when the big-time ballers come through," he said, noting the play of center Jacob Kahawaii, who scored just three points, but gave his team plenty of muscle in the middle.
"All that hard work at practice paid off. Jake played big tonight," Ale said.
At McKinley H.S. gym
| Campbell (10-2) |
9 |
22 |
13 |
15 |
-- |
59
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| Kahuku (12-1) |
14 |
15 |
20 |
24 |
-- |
73 |
CAMPBELL--Raymond Samante 0, Ryan Hayes 8, Mike Makinano 19, Matthew Samante 0, Michael McDonald 2, Jayden Delizo 0, Tristan Sealy 18, Walter Daniels 4, Terence Tafai 2, Sean Kelly 0, Dexter Vanhook 6.
KAHUKU--Pele Soliai 0, Iona Teriipaia 0, Devin Unga 12, Shiloah Te'o 3, Okesene Ale Jr. 38, Ian Fujinaga 0, Tiave Oto 0, Kevin Unga 9, Manti Te'o 6, Kameron Krebs 2, Jacob Kahawaii 3, Anthony Siilata 0, Charles Bell 0.
3-point goals--Campbell 3 (Makinano 2, Hayes), Kahuku 5 (Ale 5).
Kaimuki 56, Kalaheo 42
Thomas Pyo scored 10 of his 15 points during a pivotal second-quarter run as the Bulldogs advanced to the final.
Pyo, who left the game late in the third quarter with an ankle injury, drained a pair of 3-pointers during the second quarter. Kalaheo led 12-7 before center Tyler Caswell committed his third personal foul and went to the bench.
"They did a good job of attacking us after that," Kalaheo coach Chico Furtado said.
By the time Kaimuki's 24-point second quarter was done, the Bulldogs led 28-17. Kalaheo unleashed its fullcourt press, but missed too many easy shots to get closer than nine in the second half.
Center Beau Albrechtson led Kaimuki (18-8) with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Shadrach Ramos-Dias, filling in when Shaun Dela Cazada got into foul trouble, hustled for nine points and a ton of floor burns to energize the 'Dogs.
"He played excellent," Kaimuki coach Kelly Grant said. "He played within himself, got rid of the ball before the double teams came, played solid defense, rebounded."
Keone Reyes also scored nine points off the bench.
Elias David led 10th-ranked Kalaheo with 10 points, but no other Mustang scored in double figures.
"Our guys worked hard, but we had too many missed shots, missed free throws. Our guys who really carried us in the Mililani game didn't do anything tonight," Furtado said. "That's been our season."
Caswell finished with six points and 10 rebounds. The Mustangs shot 0-for-8 from beyond the arc.
At McKinley H.S. gym
| Kaimuki (11-2) |
4 |
24 |
6 |
22 |
-- |
56
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| Kalaheo (10-4) |
7 |
10 |
10 |
15 |
-- |
42 |
KAIMUKI--Daniel Colon 2, Alika Higa 0, Anthony Madamba 0, Brian Lim 0, Shadrach Ramos-Dias 9, Thomas Pyo 15, Phillip Miyasaka 0, Keone Reyes 9, Shaun Dela Cazada 0, Jarrett Shiu 5, Beau Albrechtson 16, Swaine Seto-Mook 0, Ryan Kakitani 0.
KALAHEO--Elias David 10, Chris Tumaneng 6, Donte Price 2, Mana Guerreiro 0, Kahua Hollinger 9, Jacob Anderson 0, Marvin Judd 6, Cheynne Lishman 2, Jeff Whitworth 1, Chase Moses 0, Clifton Pires 0, Deaux Burns 0, Tyler Caswell 6.
3-point goals -- Kaimuki 4 (Pyo 3, Shiu)
ILH THIRD-PLACE TOURNAMENT
Damien 56, Mid-Pacific 34
Lolomana Mikaele scored 12 of his game-high 20 points in the second quarter as the Monarchs outscored the Owls 28-9 in the first half before cruising to victory.
At Damien School gym
| Mid-Pacific (1-12) |
6 |
3 |
12 |
13 |
-- |
34
|
| Damien (2-11) |
10 |
18 |
12 |
16 |
-- |
56 |
MID-PACIFIC--Sampson Won 3, Josh Mun 3, Marcus Holyfield 10, Jaime Rivera 3, Danny Gordon 0, Robert Hsu 0, Jarryd Yasui 2, Kellar Ellsworth 10, Tiger Hill 0, Josh Grant 3, Sililo Pale 0.
DAMIEN--Nikko Romuar 2, Kama Bailey 5, Winnie Gapuz 2, Matthew Gochenouer 13, Tony Cerezo 1, Aminis Thompson 6, Haku Correa 6, Kenneth Rossi 0, Lolomana Mikaele 20, Sione Tau 1, Christian Vasconcellos 0.
3-point goals -- Mid-Pacific 1 (Won), Damien 3 (Mikaele 2, Bailey).
No. 9 Maryknoll 61, Maryknoll 46
Tyler Tsukazaki scored 10 of his game-high 18 points in the first quarter as the Spartans defeated the ILH Division II champion Eagles.
At Hawaii Baptist Academy gym
| Maryknoll (5-8) |
11 |
16 |
5 |
14 |
-- |
46
|
| Hawaii Baptist (10-4) |
22 |
15 |
14 |
10 |
-- |
61 |
MARYKNOLL-- Tyler Tsukazaki 18, Tommy Nguyen 2, Simeon Ke-Paloma 2, Ryan Huizingh 0, Richardson Talavera 6, Javen Correira 0, Travis Liu 10, Zachary Misajon 0, Jordan Ho-Ching 6, Richard Herring 14, Ross Lum 3, Garrick Chock 0.
HAWAII BAPTIST--Ryan Sakai 2, Dayne Kato 0, Daniel Baek 0, Joshua Thompson 11, Jason Iha 0, Reid Morihara 0, Joshua Baek 4, Landon Herder 12, Jason Liang 3, Phillip Sarubbi 11, Jeremy Yeung 3, Kyle Barretta 0.
3-point goals -- Maryknoll 2 (Liu 2), Hawaii Baptist 2 (Baek, Herder).
