Kohala’s comeback was so big and its gym got so loud, many of the details were just a blur to Cowgirls coach Adam Harrison.
This much Harrison could remember Saturday night: Briana Harrison’s basket with about 10 seconds remaining gave Kohala the lead, and the Cowgirls survived a scare at the other end to come all the way back from a horrific start for a 54-53 victory against Kamehameha in what was a possible preview of the BIIF Division II girls basketball championship game.
“This is something we have to build on,” Adam Harrison said. “The past three years, they’ve never come back from a deficit this big.”
The third-year coach was only able to exhale and celebrate his first victory against the Warriors (2-2) when their basket on the final possession of the game came after time expired.
The Cowgirls (3-1) trailed 18-2 after a bumpy first quarter, stayed afloat even as leading scorer Naai Solomon-Lewis was saddled with foul trouble, finally starting to cut into their deficit in the third quarter.
“I think they were nervous, because I let them know this was one of the biggest games they would play in,” Harrison said. “They were passing the ball terrible in the first half, but I settled them down at halftime and they started to fight back.”
The stakes are higher this season for Kohala because of the opportunity that opened up when Honokaa moved to Division I. With a seasoned roster, Kohala is eyeing its first BIIF title since 1991. Kamehameha – the gold standard in D-II with four HHSAA titles and five runner-up finishes since 2005 – figures to be the Cowgirls’ biggest hurdle.
“Now they know that if they work hard they can do it,” Harrison said.
Solomon-Lewis scored 17 points and Tezrah Antonio finished with 14 and Mikayla Kekoa had 12 for Kohala, which outscored Kamehameha 16-6 in the third quarter trailed 38-32 entering the final eight minutes.
Jordan Mantz led the Warriors with 12 points and Taylor Sullivan had eight.
“The gym was fully packed,” Harrison said. “I live a mile and a half away, and when I got home my brother-in-law said he could hear the crowd.”
Kamehameha 18 14 6 15 – 53
Kohala 2 14 16 22– 54
Ka’u 36, Hawaii Prep 33: Reishalyn Kekoa scored nine points, and the Trojans won in Waimea to improve to 2-5.
Gemma Palleschi scored 14 points for Ka Makani (0-3).
In JV, Ka’u won 27-24.
Kealakehe 59, Keaau 24: Nia Galvez (17 points) and Nicole Cristobal (11) led the Waveriders (2-3) to a road win.
Hunter Muranaka led the Cougars (2-4) with seven points.
Keaau won the JV game 32-27.
Waiakea 45, Pahoa 30: Danielle Oda scored 15 points and the host Warriors shrugged off a sluggish start in a game that was tied 5-5 after the first quarter.
Faith Manuel-Kamakeeaina tallied 11 points for the Daggers (0-6).
Boys/Friday
Hawaii Prep 56, Hilo 48: Matija Vitorovic scored 22 points and Jonas Skupeika added 19 as visiting Ka Makani won their season-opener.
The Vikings fell to 2-3.
Hilo JV won 54-40.
