By KEVIN JAKAHI
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald sports writer
KEAAU — Kamehameha and its high-scoring duo of Riana Arima and Casey Poe looked back to normal, after running into the league’s unbeatable force.
A few days after falling to powerhouse Konawaena, the Warriors rebounded with a renewed intensity and walloped Hawaii Prep 68-39 in a Big Island Interscholastic Federation girls basketball game Tuesday night at Koai‘a Gym.
Arima scored 22 points, Poe slashed for 17 points and added more than a half-dozen assists, and Makamae Gabriel turned the paint into her playground and had 11 points for the Warriors (6-2), who maintained nice timing when sending entry passes to the post.
Ula Brostek scored 12 points, Anna Juan worked inside on the blocks for 10 points and Tiana Bertelmann-Tabac had eight points for the depth-starved Ka Makani (3-5), who battled foul trouble, and turnover issues.
It was a Division II game that pretty much solidified the playoff spot for coach Craig Kimura’s inexperienced Ka Makani, who sit in fourth place and have the safety net with the league’s third-place game.
The league announced on Tuesday that Division II will have three berths for the Hawaii High School Athletic Association state tournament. (The league will have its usual two spots for the Division I state tourney.)
For the boys, Division II caught the short end of the stick. For the first time since statewide classification started in 2007, the BIIF will have only one automatic entry and a play-in against the Interscholastic League of Honolulu’s No. 3 team. (The league will have its usually two spots for the Division I tourney.)
“Three of our starters were burdened on the bench with foul trouble,” Kimura said. “I’m quite sure we’ll make the (four-team) playoffs. Basically, we’ve got to cut down on our turnovers. Spirit-wise the girls were strong and kept their composure.”
That was duly tested in the first quarter.
Tied 6-6 early, Kamehameha applied ferocious defensive pressure and reeled off a 14-0 run. Once a few turnovers fell into the water, the Warriors turned into sharks, scoring 10 points off giveaways.
Off a turnover, the Warriors found fearless freshman guard Tiana Ramelb waiting at the 3-point arc. She didn’t hesitate and immediately pulled the trigger.
Same thing on the next possession. Turnover, ball zipped to Arima at the 3-point and she knocked down her shot. It was 12-8 and the scoring spree was just getting started.
On the next two trips down the floor, off HPA turnovers, Poe had the ball near the elbow and fed Ramelb for a better and closer shot each time.
Then Poe blocked a shot, which ended the turnover-to-points run, dribbled down the court and gave up the ball to Arima, who had a nice, easy layup.
HPA finally had a chance to shoot, but senior guard Veronica LeSuer’s shot was short. Kamehameha rebounded and raced down the floor. Arima put the finishing touches on that 14-0 spurt with another textbook off-the-glass layup.
Kamehameha was ahead 20-8. Then Brostek scored on a putback with a minute left in the first quarter. Gabriel followed with one of two free throws. Off another turnover, Arima buried a 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 24-10 cushion.
“We tried to speed up the game,” Kamehameha coach Garrett Arima said. “We wanted to bring a new intensity in the first quarter. Our history is that we’re lax and slow to start games.
“We wanted to pick up the pace and set the tone early. I thought we did OK.”
Unlike HPA, the Warriors are experienced and know that they have bigger fish to fry. They got beat on the road at Honokaa. It was a gut-punch of a loss for the six-time defending BIIF Division II champs.
That’s right — six championships in a row, including back-to-back Division II state titles, an impressive run, perhaps, only equaled by Kona. Bobbie Awa’s Wildcats have won five straight BIIF Division I crowns, all with unbeaten marks.
“Honokaa is a tough place to play at,” Arima said. “Things didn’t go our way. We didn’t have that right intensity and weren’t executing. Honokaa is the team to beat.
“But tonight, we executed more on offense than in past games. We take pride in our half-court defense and full-court traps. I think we are where we want to be defensively for the playoffs.”
Hawaii Prep 10 9 8 12 — 39
Kamehameha 24 13 21 10 — 68
Konawaena 66, Laupahoehoe 21: The Wildcats eventually pulled away and cruised as expected, but not before the spirited Seasiders got hot from behind the arc to make matters interesting for awhile in Kealakekua.
All of Laupahoehoe’s points came on seven 3-pointers, including six during the first half as the Seasiders forged a surprising 18-18 tie in the second quarter against the five-time defending BIIF Division I champions.
Celena Molina scored 24 points, Ihi Victor added 20 and Jasmine Perea had 14 for Konawaena (8-0), which responded to the 3-point barrage by scoring the last 20 points of the second quarter. Standout Chanelle Molina didn’t play for the Wildcats.
Shyla Anderson hit four 3-pointers and scored 12 for the Seasiders (0-8).
Laup. 12 6 0 3 —21
Kona 18 20 16 12—66
Pahoa 40, Ka’u 32: Trailing by one at home entering the fourth quarter, the Daggers took control down the stretch to win their second straight game. Macey Mokuhalii led Pahoa (2-6) with 10 points.
Sky Kanaka’ole Esperon led the Trojans (0-8) with nine points.
Ka’u won the JV game 46-40.
Ka’u 7 7 14 4 —32
Pahoa 13 7 7 13—40
Hilo 70, Waiakea 38: Sharlei Graham-Bernisto scored 15 points and Chailey Cabalis added 12 as the host Vikings (6-1) scored 45 first-half points to nearly double up their crosstown rival.
Kaydee Rapozo led the Warriors (4-4) with 15 points.
Hilo won the JV game 45-6.
Waiakea 8 9 15 6 —38
Hilo 18 27 10 15—70