Riverdale rolls to opening round win over Kamehameha

Riverdale's Shelbie Davenport grabs a rebound against Kamehameha. Greg Yamamoto | SL

Defending national champions Riverdale Lady Warriors made sure that their reign was still intact, even while they were 3,000 miles away from home, as they advanced easily over Kamehameha, 67-45, in the opening round of the Iolani Girls Classic at the Father Bray Athletic Complex this Thursday night.

Point guards Shelbie Davenport and Alexa Middleton combined for 47 points and 4 three-pointers as the Lady Warriors dominated the game. Davenport also racked up in other categories as she led the team with eight rebounds, three assists, and four steals.

"It's just crazy," Davenport said. "We all had fun but we know it's a business trip to be here and to take care of business while we're down here."

Despite her great performance, she acknowledged that they had a difficult time adjusting to the island's weather and humidity levels, which are much different from their hometown in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

"It's hard to breathe around here," she added. "We were halfway through the first quarter but I can't even breathe. [The air] is a lot different out here."

Any struggles they may have were far from obvious, as the entire team made 43.5 percent of its shots.

"We utilized all of our players," Riverdale head coach Cory Barrett said. "We got people that can shoot, we got people that can rebound, and we got people that can handle it. It is a great first game for us."

On the other hand, reigning state champions Kamehameha were overcome by the Lady Warriors, hitting only 19-of-67 shots throughout the game.

"We tried our best, knowing that they're the top for the nation," said center Makana Aleki, who scored a team-high of 14 points. "We knew that our baskets weren't going in but we kept trying hard."

She also added that it was a "good wake-up call" for them to play a team such as Riverdale, who are not only plenty in numbers but in size as well.

"We've been only playing teams that are our height or shorter," Aleki mentioned. "They're much more intense, faster too."

The Kamehameha-Kapalama junior also made five rebounds, alongside point guard Tiare Kanoa who contributed with 11 points, seven rebounds, and seven steals.