Kamehameha’s Nique Pacheco probably figured she had a career high.
She might have even thought she had 30.
But 40?
No way.
A game of 7-on-7 broke out Friday night in Honokaa before attrition took its toll, and the Warriors needed most of Pacheco’s 40-point onslaught to escape with a 59-53 BIIF Division II girls basketball victory.
“She didn’t realize how much she had,” coach Dominic Pacheco said. “She just kept going.”
To the free throw line especially.
Nique Pacheco, a 5-foot-2 senior point guard, hit 17 of 24 free throws as Kamehameha overcame a first quarter deficit in a game in which both teams dressed only seven players. Dominic Pacheco said both teams had players foul out.
Coming off a 5-6 campaign, the Dragons (0-1) were somewhat of an unknown entering their season-opener under first-year coach Domanic Tagabi. Ka’ena Tagabi, a junior and an all BIIF returnee like Pacheco, scored 24 points, and Saige Tabac finished with 18.
“It was a good learning lesson for our girls,” Domanic Tagabi said. “Some have never played basketball.”
Honokaa played in preseason tournaments at Waiakea and Keaau in November, but its only action since then was at the World Youth Basketball Tournament. Its zone defense caught Kamehameha off guard.
“I think they had a good game plan. We had a lot of turnovers, and that kind of juggled the girls mindset,” Pacheco said. “When you have a point guard that can do everything. … I had her playing in the post.”
“When you go to Honokaa, no matter what, the gym is loud,” he said.
Freshman Sarah Schubert joined Nique Pacheco in double-figures in the Warriors’ first three games, all against D-II teams, but in this one they had to rely on their multiyear starter.
An ankle injury last year cost Pacheco to earn BIIF D-II player of the year as the Warriors were upset in the BIIFs semifinals, but she’s come strong out of the gates this season, averaging 24 points per game. Her father said her previous career high was in the 20s.
His focus next week in practice is on the other side of the ball.
“We still have a lot of work to do on defense to contain people,” Dominic Pacheco said.