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Brandon Ching | ScoringLiveJanuary 20, 2024, 6:42am
Fri, Jan 19, 2024 @ Kalaheo
KAILUA—A balanced scoring effort from the starters helped No. 10 Kalaheo trample No. 2 Kailua, 61-46, in a pivotal OIA East matchup at Pete Smith Court Friday night.
Fresh off a 13 point loss to No. 7 Kahuku (9-0) on Wednesday, the Mustangs (7-1) rebounded and defeated the Surfriders (7-1) for their first win over their rival since Jan. 4, 2020 and created a tie for second place behind the unbeaten Red Raiders in the OIA East Division I standings.
"It's been a while. Tonight we proved to ourselves we can play with anybody and came out with some energy and effort. They were focused and it was a good night for us," Kalaheo coach Rob Pardini said.
"We've been talking about this game for over a year. We were focused on beating Kailua. Everybody at the school and everybody in town and talking about coming to the Kailua game. That builds pressure. My dad says, ‘Pressure either builds diamonds or it breaks pipes.' We're building diamonds over here," CJ Bostic said.
Kalaheo's starters accounted for 58 of the team's 61 points led by Taishawn Jeffrey, who hails from Toronto, Canada by way of Mississippi. He scored a game-high 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished four assists and was 8 for 9 from the free throw line.
Bostic had a double-double with 15 points, 10 boards, with four steals and two blocks.
"Getting rebounds is something special I always wanted to do. I'm a hustler, whatever I have to do for my team to win, I'll do. Getting boards is normal for me. I'm able to get 14 or 15 boards hopefully every night and I'm willing to work for my team to get a win," Bostic said.
Joshua Schutter, a transfer from Kalani, had 10 points and four steals. Peyton Smith added nine points off three 3-pointers, and Jaron Gilmore, despite battling foul trouble, had eight points and five rebounds.
"That's what we need and we have to have that," Pardini said. The more guys get involved, the more everyone gets excited, the energy is up, and sharing the ball, that's a big deal for us."
Noa Donnelly led the Surfriders with 14 points and 12 rebounds, Maddox Pung added 12 points, five rebounds, and Dylan Kunz with 10 points off three triples as their 11-game winning streak dating back to the preseason came to an end.
Jeffrey relentlessly attacked the basket in the first quarter and hit all seven of his free throw attempts to set the tone for the Mustangs to put them up, 18-11.
"When we saw Kailua come out with their big on Taishawn, it gave us a green light to go and attack and get buckets at the rim or kick. He's super efficient, he's a great leader, and does a great job for us," Pardini said.
"My guys look for me to do that. They tried to put the big on me so I was attacking the big, I'm quick, I have speed. So I was being aggressive and putting my team on my back," Jeffrey said, who scored 15 of his 16 points in the first half.
Pung hit a runner off the glass and sank a pair of free throws to get within four. Bostic was fouled on a jumper and split his free throws for a 19-15 lead to end the first period.
Pung's 3 got the Surfriders within three, 21-18 off a kick out pass from Donnelly. Kalaheo responded with a 7-0 run to go up 10 as Smith banked in a 3-pointer to make it, 28-18 with 3:45 to go.
"We were thinking of fundamentals the whole time. Coach wants me to drive to the bucket and get a jump stop finish. We have to use fundamentals and work together as a team," Bostic said.
Kalaheo went up by as much as 11 following Keenan Kahoekapu's shot, but Donnelly went 3 for 5 from the free throw line and hit a reverse to as Kailua battled back and trailed, 32-26 going into halftime.
Kunz canned a 3-pointer from the left wing to get Kailua within three but Schutter's drive put Kalaheo ahead by five. Donnelly converted a 3-point play to get with two, but missed his next two free throw attempts to potentially tie the game.
"The rebound side is the key. They got a lot of second and third chances in that third and that's when they (Kailua) made their run. We got to limit those and do better at. Defensive rebounding, everybody by committee, whoever's on the floor," Pardini said.
Schutter and Pung traded shots before Bostic hit a 3-pointer from the left wing and his dribble-drive put the Mustangs up by eight. Joseph Bieniek added a putback but Schutter hit a pull up jumper before the buzzer for a 44-36 lead going into the fourth.
"I feel like he did very well. He's one of our shot makers. He's a shooter and he's good at getting to his spots, hitting 3's and the mid range. He's a big part of our team," Jeffrey said of Schutter.
Smith and Schutter hit back-to-back 3-pointers to break open the fourth quarter to go ahead, 50-36.
"That's our game, we want to attack. We have a five guard lineup, we want to attack, cut, and get to two feet in the paint and kick out and be unselfish," Pardini said.
"It starts in practice, we work and push each other harder. We are able to keep getting game reps because we push each other so hard it applies in the game," Bostic said.
The Surfriders got within 10 three times in the period and trailed, 56-46 after Donnelly's basket. Bostic, Gilmore, and Jeffrey combined to shoot 5 for 6 from the free throw line in the final minute to close out the game.
Kalaheo shot 18 for 45 (40 percent) from the field and was 7 of 18 from 3 (38.8 percent). The Mustangs connected on 18 of their 21 free throw attempts.
"At any given time, anyone can shoot. They can shoot the ball from 3 well. It's good for us, but also can't rely on it. When it goes it's great, when it doesn't, you have to get back and get stops," Pardini said.
"It was a big game for us so we had to give everything we had," Jeffrey added.
Kailua shot 17 of 50 (34 percent) from the field but was 4 of 15 from behind the arc. The Surfriders made 8 of their 13 free throw attempts and edged the Mustangs on the boards, 30 to 26.
Kalaheo closes out the OIA East regular season against Roosevelt (4-4) and Kaiser (1-6) on Jan. 24 and 27.
Kailua looks to bounce back as it hosts Kaimuki (5-3) on Jan. 26 and ends the regular season at Kahuku on Jan. 26.
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