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Sat, Jan 16, 2016 @ Kailua

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Castle

32

Kailua

62

Final	1	2	3	4
Castle (13-27, 12-18)	9	3	10	10	32
Kailua (24-18, 18-14)	16	15	17	14	62

SEASON LEADERS

Christian Mejia 10.2 ppg  1 3pm  63.4 FT%

Jeremy McGoldrick 12.0 ppg  40 3pm  63.2 FT%

KAILUA — You can't coach size.

Posts Christian Mejia and Hano Kohatsu combined for 27 points as Kailua demolished district rival Castle, 62-32 in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division contest at Harry Murai Gymnasium.

The Surfriders also outrebounded the visiting Knights, 48 to 16, to notch their second consecutive win in league play (3-4) and remain in the hunt for a postseason berth.

Castle, who has no players over 6-feet tall, dropped its second straight contest and fell to 2-5.

Kailua's size advantage was evident from the very beginning as Mejia, who stands at 6-foot-4, had four total shot attempts on the first possession of the game.

"That's been our achilles heel these last two games, we can't seem to match up with size," said first-year Castle coach Neil Bowers. "We didn't have that problem earlier on in the preseason. We played really well against big teams but they pounded it in and we couldn't stop them."

Kailua jumped out to an early 6-0 lead as its 1-2-2 zone defense with Mejia at the top discouraged Castle from driving into the lane. The Knights' first basket came at the 4:15 mark of the first quarter when guard Jeremy McGoldrick flipped it to Lukela Hoapili after nearly turning it over in the lane.

"I think our guys are adjusting to the 1-2-2 zone and not too many guys are playing that on the east," said Kailua coach Wally Marciel. "We're just trying to take advantage of our height."

Castle battled back and made it a one-possession game after McGoldrick hit a corner triple, but gave up another 6-0 run and trailed 16-9 after the opening period.

Kailua took full control of the contest in the second quarter by playing to its strengths. With Mejia and Kohatsu demanding double teams on either side of the block, all Kailua had to do was feed the open man. This efficient offense allowed the Surfriders to go 6-for-9 shooting in the quarter.

"We just worked together and tried to see who's open," said Mejia, who had a double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds. "If we have a one-on-one situation, we just take it and go."

The Surfriders' defense also tighten up and held the Knights scoreless until Elton Naki hit a triple from the right wing as the first half buzzer sounded. Castle shot 1-for-10 from the field in the period and trailed 31-12 at the half.

"We were all just hyped up to get this win," said Kohatsu, who scored 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting while going 4-for-4 at the free throw line. "Everyone was on the same page and everyone was working together."

Castle could not overcome Kailua's physical advantages and both teams emptied on their bench early in the fourth quarter. The Surfriders took their largest lead of the game, 55-22, on a putback by Gregory Campos.

Naki led the Knights in the loss with six points.