Waiakea, again, played with patience and valued possessions, the same game plan that keeps toppling teams with better records from last season.
Waiakea defeated Kamehameha, last year’s league runner-up, 66-62 in a BIIF Division I basketball thriller on Friday night at the Warriors Gym.
Last Monday, the Warriors, who didn’t qualify for the HHSAA state tournament last year, thumped three-time defending BIIF champion Konawaena 60-44.
When the clock was a friend, Waiakea held the ball and beat defenders off the dribble for layups or trips to the free throw line. That worked against both the Wildcats and private-school Warriors.
Kahinu Alapai had a monster game with 22 points, Louie Ondo added 13 while Calvin Mattos and Noah Ferreira each had 11 points for Waiakea (4-0), which shot 51 percent (24 of 47) from the field and made 16 of 25 free throws.
Pukana Vincent drained four 3-pointers and finished with 22 points while Solomon Escalante chipped in 11 points and Nalu Kahapea had eight points for Kamehameha (3-2), which converted 51 percent (23 of 45) from floor and hit 6 of 11 free throws.
The Warriors’ defensive pressure forced 15 Kamehameha turnovers; Waiakea had only eight giveaways. With those extra opportunities, the Warriors had more points off giveaways, 12-2, and that was the most significant stat.
Last Saturday, Honokaa relied on defensive pressure with a full-court press and stunned Kamehameha 58-44, limiting easy points with transition layups and second-chance putbacks.
Waiakea did the same thing. Kamehameha also did the same thing in the loss. The visiting Warriors, again, had ball-handling issues in the third quarter.
Kahapea scored on a putback for a 41-34 lead with under four minutes in the third period. But then Kamehameha started coughing up the ball and had six turnovers; Waiakea had just one.
Waiakea closed the third quarter on a 10-2 run, scoring six points off six turnovers, and Ondo and Mattos had consecutive layups off giveaways.
The hosts took a 44-43 lead into the fourth quarter, and Ondo got started early with a reverse layup. He followed with a floater and Wes Amuiamuia made 1 of 2 free throws for a 49-43 lead with 5:36 left.
Vincent buried three 3-pointers in the final eight minutes, including one right at the buzzer, but his 12 points in the fourth quarter weren’t enough, even with Waiakea struggling at the free throw line: 8 of 17.
After Escalante’s 3-ball tied it 49-49 with 4:06 remaining, Waiakea held the ball, broke down Kamehameha’s man defense and dribbled-drived for scores under the basket.
Alapai had eight points in the fourth quarter, and Mattos, who was guarded by Kaeo Batacan, scored six points and finished with a half-dozen assists.
Kamehameha led 27-24 at halftime and was powered by Vincent, who scored seven points. Alapai led the host Warriors with 10 points, including eight in the first period.
Mattos, who was held scoreless in the first half, picked up his third personal foul with under three minutes in the second quarter and sat out the rest of the way.
Against Waiakea’s zone, Kamehameha shot mid-range jumpers and buried 9 of 18 field goals in the first half, which turned into a track meet with both teams looking to push the ball.
Waiakea fed the ball to Alapai in the post, and blitzed past Kamehameha’s press for a few transition layups. But the home team struggled from the field and converted just 10 of 24 field goals.
In the junior varsity game, it was Waiakea 49, Kamehameha 30.
Kamehameha 14 13 16 19 — 62
Waiakea 14 10 20 22 — 66
Pahoa 41, St. Joseph 39: Joel Rosario hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Daggers, who won at home despite having only four players on the court during the final nine seconds.
Kili Oliveira led defending BIIF Division II champion Pahoa (2-1) with 17 points.
Manato Fukuda scored 21 points and Titus Liu had 10 for the Cardinals (1-3).
Pahoa won the JV game in overtime, 40-33.
St. Joseph 9 4 16 10 – 39
Pahoa 5 14 10 12– 41
Konawaena 39, Keaau 35: Austin Ewing scored 10 points and the Wildcats rallied on the road to improve to 4-1.
Charles Caldwell-Kaai tallied 12 points for the Cougars (1-4), who led by two points heading into the fourth quarter. A win would have been big for Keaau, which remained in last place in the six-team Division I. The top four will qualify for the postseason.
In JV, Konawaena won 35-34.
Konawaena 15 4 10 10 –39
Keaau 10 10 11 4–35
Honokaa 69, Ka’u 26: Jonathan Charbonneau scored 13 points at Honokaa Armory and the Dragons cruised to their third consecutive victory.
Kelvin Falk added nine points and Bong Pancho finished with eight for Honokaa (3-1).
Joven Padrigo led the Trojans (0-3) with nine points.
Honokaa won the JV game 66-34.
Ka’u 8 7 5 6 – 26
Honokaa 14 17 25 13–69
