Moanalua captures OIA Red title
POSTED: Friday, February 26, 2010
Sometimes winning ugly is the best feeling in the world.
Moanalua, disposing of its run-and-gun against a hustling Kahuku defense, got 14 points from freshman Marcus Keene in a 55-48 win and the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference championship last night at McKinley Student Council Gym.
Second-ranked Moanalua (23-5) won its first boys basketball championship since 1990, when Eddie Maruyama was the coach.
“;It means a lot. It's been 20 years,”; Moanalua's Marcus Monroe said after a stellar all-around performance. “;This is what we've been practicing for all season. After the first loss to Kahuku, we said, 'That's it. We're not losing any more.' Now our mission is to win states.”;
A win by the defending champion Red Raiders, making their second road trip to town in the last three nights, would have forced a winner-take-all game for the title tomorrow.
“;Kahuku is great. We didn't play that well because of them,”; Na Menehune coach Greg Tacon said. “;That's a quality team with a great coach.”;
Tough buckets under the glass by Shairone Thompson and Jackson Kaka brought the Red Raiders within 39-36 just before the end of the third quarter, but they never got closer.
At McKinley Student Council Gym
KAHUKU—Michael Tyau 2, Kauwe Johnson 4, Samala Afalava 0, Hans Brown 0, Galeai Malufau 0, Sage Kaka 4, Wonka Beatty 0, Nehoa Akina 20, Jackson Kaka 7, Shairone Thompson 9, Josh Christiansen 0, K.J. Uluave 2, Mason Golden 0, Michael Brown 0 MOANALUA—Bronson Kepa 0, Reece Racoma 5, Kevin Amaral 11, Aaron Davis 0, Alex Braswell 0, Brandon Guerreo 0, Josiah Kauhola 8, Wesley Armbrust 4, Marcus Monroe 9, Dexter Williams 2, Marcus Keene 14, Carl Ko 2.
3-point goals—Kahuku 2 (Akina 2), Moanalua 3 (Racoma, Amaral, Kauhola).
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Moanalua shot 12-for-15 from the foul line in the final quarter, including 6-for-7 by Keene. Nehoa Akina hit a pair of free throws and brought Kahuku within 52-48 with 16.9 seconds left, but Keene put the game away with two foul shots.
Moanalua got 11 points from reserve forward Keven Amaral and steady all-around contributions from Monroe, who tallied nine points, seven boards, four assists, three steals and a couple of blocks.
Josiah Kauhola added eight points and three steals to help spark Moanalua's pressure defense.
“;I love these guys. Without our three seniors, if we didn't have them, we wouldn't be here,”; Keene said.
“;Give Moanalua credit. They're a great team, balanced and well coached, very disciplined,”; Kahuku coach Hiram Akina said. “;They've got kids that really work hard and play together. That's why I voted them No. 1 in the last two weeks. Our guys fought and gave great effort. I'm excited about the state tournament.”;
Nehoa Akina led No. 5 Kahuku (15-11) with 20 points despite being hounded all night by Moanalua's stoppers. Thompson added nine points and six rebounds. The Red Raiders outrebounded Moanalua 26-21, but shot just 2-for-14 from the 3-point arc.
Na Menehune came into the title game on a roll, using a revved-up fast-break offense and tough man-to-man defense to go unbeaten through the double-elimination OIA tourney. Moanalua zoomed to a 15-2 lead before Nehoa Akina, Kahuku's go-to scorer, drove for a three-point play just before the end of the first quarter.
Down 15 points early in the second quarter, the Red Raiders came to life. Akina scored six points in a 14-5 run, bringing Kahuku within 25-19.
“;At the beginning we had our legs and got the lead, but they made adjustments and started getting back,”; Tacon said.
