Honokaʻa Hoops Bring Police, Youth Together
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- Team Look Alive, from left to right: Captain Reed Mahuna, School Resource Officer Blake Ragocos, Twister Mateo, Kekona Thomas, Elijah Kaupu, Community Police Officer Aaron Kaeo. PC: HPD
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- Zion Umayam, Alika Branco, Halai Duldulao. PC: HPD
Honokaʻa Middle School knows how to hoop.
The HI-PAL 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament wrapped up earlier this month after roughly three months of competition. Team Look Alive grabbed first place with a 33-25 win over the Hammahs in the first-place game on Feb. 7.
The tourney was organized by School Resource Officer Blake Ragocos as part of the Hawai‘i Isle Police Activities League, or HI-PAL, an HPD program that brings officers and local youth together by building mentor-mentee relationships.
“I wanted to give the students an opportunity to do something constructive during their lunch recesses,” he said. “They looked forward to each other’s competition, and the championship game was a close one.”
The activity attracted 10 Honokaʻa School teams and involved student players as well as student scorers and timers.
The department said in a release that the positive connection built through HI-PAL encourages teamwork, citizenship and responsibility among youth.
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