Girls Basketball
Lahainaluna pulls away from Kamehameha, 50-42


  



Sat, Nov 11, 2017 @ McKinley


Final 1 2 3 4  
Lahainaluna (13-0, 21-5) 12 12101650
Kamehameha (8-5, 17-6) 7 16 13 642
K. Vierra 8 pts  1 3pm  1/2 FTs
B. Estabillo-Donato 22 pts  1 3pm  1/4 FTs
N. Sua-Godinet 9 tot  1 off  8 def
R. Balagso 4 tot  2 off  2 def

Lahainaluna made the most of its trip to Oahu.

The Lunas forced turnovers and outscored Kamehameha in the fourth quarter to win, 50-42, on final day of the McKinley Girls Basketball Black and Gold Classic sponsored by Matsumoto Law Group at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium.

"You can't beat the price of the competition here. We played three of the top five teams in the state in Maryknoll, Iolani and Kamehameha. I'd love to come back if the field is good like this," said Lahainaluna coach Todd Rickard.

"This was a good challenge for us and we aren't very big. Together we can accomplish a lot. We had two players out, but that's not an excuse and we have to accept the challenge," said Lahainaluna senior Braeanna Estabillo.

Estabillo scored a game-high 22 points and her partner in crime Rachael Balagso added 10 more as both guards used their quickness and smarts to combine for 11 steals.

"Braeanna and Rachael are our go-to players. When we need a basket, I tell them not to be so passive. I tell them to create for other players, get to the basket and kick it out to other players," said Rickard.

"Rachael is one of the best defenders on our team and she pushes me and I want to be like her on defense. She's the best of me too and she's my better half," Estabillo said on Balagso.

Kamehameha played without Kalina Obrey and Princy Paaluhi-Caulk. Without those two, Kiana Vierra led the Warriors with eight points and three other players scored six each. This was an opportunity for the team to show Warriors coach Joe Cho who can step up.

"We got a young team that we're trying to mesh together with our experienced and younger kids. We have a ways to go. This is a great opportunity to step up. That's what I keep telling them," said Cho.

The Lunas led 12-7 after the first quarter, but the Warriors managed to tie the game at 12 and 14 off of Keenyn Santiago's and-one and free throws from Camille Feary. Lahainaluna led by six after Hookano's hook, but Kamehameha fought back and trailed by one going into halftime, 24-23, after Malie Marfil's steal and layup.

"We have a small group and we're trying to put the pieces together where we feel where we feel it will feed us the best throughout the season and we try to take it a day at a time," said Rickard.

Vierra tied the game at 28 and the Warriors took the lead three times, 30-28 and 32-30 and 36-34.

"This is a time to find who wants and who doesn't. That's what I use the preseason for," said Cho.

The Warriors won the battle of the boards with a 32 to 14 advantage but committed about 23 turnovers.

Estabillo opened the fourth with steals and buckets to give Lahainaluna the lead and Tori Tihada added a 3-pointer to go up, 43-36. Kamehameha trailed by six and could not get any closer.



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].




Show your support

Every contribution, no matter the size, will help ScoringLive continue its mission to provide the best and most comprehensive coverage of high school sports in the state of Hawaii and beyond.

Please consider making a contribution today.

ADVERTISEMENT


IMAGE GALLERY



MORE STORIES

Surfriders erase early deficit, pull away from Falcons

Ninth-ranked Kailua scored 10 unanswered runs behind six scoreless innings of relief from DJ Kauahi to...

Pearl City ends Kaiser's season with playoff road victory

The Chargers rapped out nine runs on 14 hits, capped by Jayson Au Hoy's three-run home run in the top...

Shinagawa's catch spurred Cougars in OIA East finale; Painter continues producing for unbeaten Bears

The Kaiser junior centerfielder made a pivotal highlight-reel grab against Kailua Saturday, while the...

Campbell scores 11 runs in opening frame in rout of Leilehua

Ismael Diaz delivered a pair of two-RBI doubles as part of a 29-minute top of the first inning for the...

Kaiser improves playoff seeding with win over No. 7 Kailua to close out regular season

The Cougars plated a season-high 16 runs Saturday night to end the Surfriders' 10-game win streak and...

Roosevelt walks off Moanalua to lock up second seed in OIA East

Bryson Rubio's line drive single scored Tai Pham from second for the game winning run in the Rough Riders'...