KEAAU – It wasn’t Kohala’s shooting that won a high-tension game that turned into a test of composure after so many missed free throws on Wednesday night at Keaau High’s gym. ADVERTISING KEAAU – It wasn’t Kohala’s shooting that won
KEAAU – It wasn’t Kohala’s shooting that won a high-tension game that turned into a test of composure after so many missed free throws on Wednesday night at Keaau High’s gym.
The Cowgirls defeated Kapaa 47-40 in a double-overtime, first-round game at the HHSAA Division II state girls basketball tournament, where both teams had an equal opportunity win by a large margin if they hit free throws.
Kohala (8-5) plays Maui Interscholastic League champion and No. 4 seed Molokai (13-0) in the quarterfinals at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The Cowgirls shot just 28 percent (15 of 53) from the field and made just 13 of 43 free throws. Despite miss after miss from the floor and line, the BIIF runner-up kept battling.
“It was heart. We won with a lot of heart,” Kohala coach Adam Harrison said. “The girls played tough defense and fought all the way. The girls deserve a lot of credit. They showed heart tonight.”
In the fourth quarter, Kohala trailed 34-31, until Brittany Shimono swished a 3-pointer with 1:21 left. In the first OT, Jessica Tenorio hit a short jump shot to tie it 39-39 with 12 seconds left.
Then the Cowgirls started scoring baskets. It came really late. But it was welcomed relief for Harrison and his coaching staff.
Naai Solomon-Lewis scored back-to-back baskets to open the second OT period, the latter on a slashing layup. Shimono later followed with a layup off a Kapaa turnover for a 45-40 lead with two minutes remaining.
The Warriors shot just 20 percent (13 of 64) from the floor but made 12 of 24 free throws. They sank just 2 of 16 from 3-point range; Kohala went 4 of 16 on 3-balls.
The Cowgirls didn’t let Kapaa’s height or experience bother them, despite being outrebouned 58-53.
Kapaa is the three-time Kauai Interscholastic Federation champion and played like a state tourney veteran, taking its time to shot but often missing. Kapaa’s best offense was a miss, a rebound and a putback.
Kohala is the BIIF runner-up and last went to states in 2013 and ’14 and took a two-game exit both times. Not this year, the Cowgirls struggled and struggled but never lost sight of a victory dangling on a carrot.
Kohala’s tallest player is 5-foot-9 freshman center Mikayla Kekoa and senior forward Solomon-Lewis is an inch shorter. Everyone else is undersized compared to the Warriors.
Junior guard Paea Tafea is 5-10. There’s more height with 5-10 center Lilia Hearn and 5-9 guard Kunani Tuttle. The Warriors bring 6-1 Pesi Paua and 5-9 Lupe Tafea, a pair of seniors off the bench.
Still, Kekoa grabbed 17 rebounds and Solomon-Lewis added 14 boards. The Warriors just couldn’t put their height advantage to good use, either tagging fouls on the Cowgirls or posting them up.
Solomon-Lewis scored 14 points, Shimono had 13, hitting three treys, and Kekoa added six points for the Cowgirls.
Laka Daligcon-Pomaikai scored nine points and had 12 rebounds while Jaliyah Casem and Pesi Paua had seven each for the Warriors.
Kapaa led 15-13 at halftime, playing a half-court game against the Cowgirls, who threw a 1-2-2 zone.
The Warriors missed their first four shots, then quickly recovered from a 7-0 deficit, relying on their size to wear down the smaller Cowgirls on the boards. But whenever there was a break in the action, Kohala regained its wind and went back to battle.
Solomon-Lewis was a high-post passer but couldn’t get any touch passes to Kekoa, who went scoreless in the first half. However, Shimono drilled a 3-pointer in the first quarter, and Harrison nailed a trey in the second quarter to cut Kapaa’s lead to 15-13 with 1:20 left.
Kohala made just 4 of 21 field goals in the first half while Kapaa hit 5 of 29 fro the field.
Last season, Kapaa played Kamehameha-Hawaii in the quarterfinals and lost 44-27, despite outrebounding the BIIF runner-up Warriors 40-21. Kapaa had major ball-handling issues with 30 turnovers.
Against Kohala, the Warriors had 23 turnovers, one more than the Cowgirls, who didn’t need to capitalize on turnovers, hit shots or make their free throws.
They found a much better weapon: their heart.
Kapaa 6 9 8 13 3 1 — 40
Kohala 8 5 8 15 3 6 — 47
