The Big Island will not have any representation in Saturday’s state title games after two narrow losses by its league’s champions.
At Farrington High School, Hawaii Preparatory Academy started cold from the field, but after ralllying back from a double-digit deficit, they were unable to finish the comeback, falling 40-38 to McKinley.
Hawaii Prep shot 5-22 from the field in the first half, but an even bigger number was the 1-12 three-point shooting statistic after the first 16 minutes. Berman had their only make, and after that took place in the first quarter, Ka Makani missed their next eleven. Their poor shooting put them in a 25-17 halftime deficit.
The game stayed fairly even in the second half, despite the Tigers pushing out a lead as high as 12 points. But, turnovers hurt both teams, including McKinley, allowing Hawaii Prep to make a late surge, getting within three late.
Hawaii Prep fouled AJ Ortaleza three different times with under a minute remaining, forcing him to shoot free throws with the clock stopped. Ortaleza missed the front end of a one-and-one twice, and HPA got fouled on the other end. Jovan Crnic made the first free throw, but not the second, and Ka Makani was within two.
Ortaleza was fouled again with 2 seconds remaining, and faced another one-and-one from the foul line. Ortaleza once again missed the shot. HPA’s Tyler Van Kirk picked up the rebound, but his outlet pass was knocked up in the air and stolen by McKinley’s Alex Ironside, sealing the win.
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McKinley advances to the division two championship game where they will take on familiar foe Kalaheo. Both teams met in the OIA championship game, and will face each other for the fourth time this year at the Neal Blaisdell Center at 5 p.m. HPA will take on Seabury Hall at 11 a.m. for third place, also at the Blaisdell.
Hawaii Prep – 10-36 FG (27.8%), 3-19 3PT (15.8%), 15-20 FT (75.0%)
LEADING SCORERS: McKinley – AJ Ortaleza 12, Alex Ironside 9, Jace Bolosan 5, Justly Laquihon 5, Jared Malaga 3, Wilhelm Rivera 2, Kui Williams 2, William Rollman 2. Hawaii Prep – Dakota Berman 19, Jovan Crnic 8, Tyler Van Kirk 7, Kalan Camero 4.
Kamehameha-Hawaii Loses Late Lead, Falling to Kahuku
After defeating AOP in overtime on Thusday, Kamehameha-Hawaii spent all of Friday trying to defeat an illness that was rampantly spreading through its basketball team. They also spent much of Friday trying to hold off Kahuku, but a 10-2 run in the fourth quarter by the Red Raiders ended the Warriors’ championship hopes, as Kahuku prevailed 57-50
Early Friday afternoon, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported that it had appeared that food poisoning had taken hold of a number of players and coaches on the squad. Late Friday night, the Kamehameha-Hawaii coaches ruled that out, noting that a player had gotten sick before the team had eaten any food in that time span.
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Regardless of how the illness took place, the Warriors’ starting lineup was affected. La’akea Manlinguis and Rylan Kiko, players who have seen occasional minutes during the season, were thrust into the starting lineup at the Blaisdell, as Kekoa Turner and Kaeo Alapai would come off of the bench.
Through the first twelve minutes, it seemed that Kamehameha-Hawaii would be able to hold their own despite the illness, taking a 20-17 lead at the end of the first quarter, and holding on to that lead through most of the second.
More adversity came midway through the second quarter. Point guard Lanaki Apele challenged a Kahuku player for a rebound, but after coming up empty, he fell hard to the court, trying to brace his fall with his left arm. Apele landed hard on his elbow, and laid on the floor for several minutes before trainers immediately put an air cast on his elbow to stabilize him.
According to his father, Apele was taken to Straub as the game was being played. Apele was diagnosed with a dislocated elbow, and they would have to pop it back in overnight.
The Red Raiders got on a 4-0 run immediately after the injury, but Manliguis quickly answered that with a rally of his own, scoring the next five points, including a three from the left wing, to keep Kamehameha-Hawaii ahead. They would lead 36-31 at halftime.
Kahuku started their trek to the lead late in the third quarter. The Red Raiders went on a 10-2 run spanning nearly five minutes, starting with 1:51 remaining in the third quarter. They tied the game at 47 in the fourth when they forced a turnover, leading to a Kawehena Johnson layup. Johnson would then drain a three on the next posession to give Kahuku a 50-47 lead. Three made free throws extended the lead to 6.
The Warriors would get back within three with 1:23 left when a steal lead to Shaun Kagawa breaking away for an open layup, getting Kamehameha-Hawaii within a 53-50 score. Then, down by 4, Jacob Kackley missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Kahuku was able to finish. Kackley missed 3 of his last 4 free throws taken.
Kahuku will face Punahou for the championship at 7 p.m., a rematch of the football championship game on Thanksgiving weekend. Kamehameha-Hawaii will face Baldwin for third place at 3 p.m., with both games at the Blaisdell.
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