Stacy Kaneshiro | ScoringLive
January 20, 2011, 8:28pm
Farrington topples Kahuku, 66-55
This time, Farrington left no room for drama.
Brydgette Tatupu-Leopoldo scored a game-high 29 points, including five 3-pointers, and Kirsten-Marie Liana grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Governors over Kahuku, 66-55, Thursday night in a championship-bracket game of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association girls' Red Tournament at the Richard Kitamura Memorial Field House.
Kahuku (8-8), the East's fifth seed in the tourney, will play Tuesday against the winner of Friday's Kapolei-Kaimuki elimination-bracket game. The winner of that game will play Farrington for the championship Thursday at Mililani. But for Farrington, if it loses, it can make it up again Jan. 29 because the tourney is double elimination.
In Farrington's previous game at Kapolei, it squandered a 17-point lead before winning in overtime to advance in the tourney.
Although Farrington has the benefit of extra rest for the title game, it knows it just can't rely on Tatupu-Leopoldo and Liana.
"More we've seen teams try to key on Kirsten inside and Brydgette outside," Farrington coach Caroline Tatupu said. "We talked to our girls that if teams are going to do this, the rest of them are going to have to step up their game to do their part, to carry the load, when teams start doubling the two. Our team is more than just the two of them."
Kahuku and Farrington came out hot, trading baskets in a tight first quarter that ended 18-18. Half of the Govs' output were from three successive 3-pointers by Tatupu-Leopoldo. Six of Kahuku's points came on successive baskets from Joshlyn Noga after rebounds. Twelve of her 14 points came off offensive boards.
The Red Raiders managed to take a 24-23 lead with 5:17 left in the second quarter after Allyson Te'o scored off a fast break. But the tide turned when Tatupu-Leopoldo drained her fourth 3 with 5:02 to give Farrington a lead it would build the rest of the way.
The Governors sort of stuttered out of the gate to start the third, watching Kahuku pull to with 37-33. But Farrington closed the quarter with a 9-0 run, including a 3-pointer from Ashley Savusa, to take a commanding 49-33 lead into the fourth quarter.
The big lead negated three early Farrington turnovers that led to four points for Kahuku to start the fourth. Farrington also made 11 of 13 free throws down the stretch to keep its distance from Kahuku.
Jessica Falemalu also had 14 points for the Red Raiders, who had a modest five-game winning streak snapped.
For Kahuku, the Kitamura Fieldhouse hasn't been kind. The Red Raiders lost 69-49 to the Govs during a regular-season meeting there. They took good shots that just didn't fall.
"We don't have much luck in this gym," Kahuku coach David Te'o said. "I'm a superstitious individual, things like that, but we can't let that be the obstacle in any game like this. We have to go back to the drawing board and see what works and what doesn't work."
Brydgette Tatupu-Leopoldo scored a game-high 29 points, including five 3-pointers, and Kirsten-Marie Liana grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Governors over Kahuku, 66-55, Thursday night in a championship-bracket game of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association girls' Red Tournament at the Richard Kitamura Memorial Field House.
Kahuku (8-8), the East's fifth seed in the tourney, will play Tuesday against the winner of Friday's Kapolei-Kaimuki elimination-bracket game. The winner of that game will play Farrington for the championship Thursday at Mililani. But for Farrington, if it loses, it can make it up again Jan. 29 because the tourney is double elimination.
In Farrington's previous game at Kapolei, it squandered a 17-point lead before winning in overtime to advance in the tourney.
Although Farrington has the benefit of extra rest for the title game, it knows it just can't rely on Tatupu-Leopoldo and Liana.
"More we've seen teams try to key on Kirsten inside and Brydgette outside," Farrington coach Caroline Tatupu said. "We talked to our girls that if teams are going to do this, the rest of them are going to have to step up their game to do their part, to carry the load, when teams start doubling the two. Our team is more than just the two of them."
Kahuku and Farrington came out hot, trading baskets in a tight first quarter that ended 18-18. Half of the Govs' output were from three successive 3-pointers by Tatupu-Leopoldo. Six of Kahuku's points came on successive baskets from Joshlyn Noga after rebounds. Twelve of her 14 points came off offensive boards.
The Red Raiders managed to take a 24-23 lead with 5:17 left in the second quarter after Allyson Te'o scored off a fast break. But the tide turned when Tatupu-Leopoldo drained her fourth 3 with 5:02 to give Farrington a lead it would build the rest of the way.
The Governors sort of stuttered out of the gate to start the third, watching Kahuku pull to with 37-33. But Farrington closed the quarter with a 9-0 run, including a 3-pointer from Ashley Savusa, to take a commanding 49-33 lead into the fourth quarter.
The big lead negated three early Farrington turnovers that led to four points for Kahuku to start the fourth. Farrington also made 11 of 13 free throws down the stretch to keep its distance from Kahuku.
Jessica Falemalu also had 14 points for the Red Raiders, who had a modest five-game winning streak snapped.
For Kahuku, the Kitamura Fieldhouse hasn't been kind. The Red Raiders lost 69-49 to the Govs during a regular-season meeting there. They took good shots that just didn't fall.
"We don't have much luck in this gym," Kahuku coach David Te'o said. "I'm a superstitious individual, things like that, but we can't let that be the obstacle in any game like this. We have to go back to the drawing board and see what works and what doesn't work."
