Kaimuki pulls away from Waipahu to win OIA D2 title

Brian Bautista | SL

SALT LAKE — The opening period of the 2022 OIA Division II boys basketball championship game was a back-and-forth slugfest between Kaimuki and Waipahu.

Then the Bulldogs turned it into a track meet.

Kaimuki dominated the Marauders in the second quarter — 16 to 2 — en route to its fourth overall league title with a 55-37 win at Moanalua's gymnasium Wednesday night.

The Bulldogs' half-court trap flustered Waipahu into 32 turnovers to power Kaimuki (9-4 league) to its first OIA crown since 2007, when it won the league's D1 title.

"It feels great," said Kaimuki senior Rashawn Fritz-Betiru. "This is one of our goals ever since freshman year, to be here in the championship."

The Bulldogs tried using a full-court press to start the game, but Waipahu (5-7) figured out how to break it and started the night with a 4-0 lead. Kaimuki roared back with a 7-0 run before the Marauders closed out the quarter with a 6-0 run of their own to take a 10-7 lead after the first stanza.

Kaimuki coach Greydon Espinda's message after the quarter break was clear:

"Play with more heart and more effort and we'll be OK."

The Bulldogs' energy and hustle was apparent after the first eight minutes as they pounded the paint and crashed the boards for second-chance opportunities.

Senior Malu Cleveland was at the forefront of this with seven rebounds and a blocked shot in the second quarter. His putback capped a 8-0 run to give Kaimuki a 15-10 lead around the midway point of the period.

Cleveland said that there were some nerves to start the game.

"What change is we just calmed down because the first quarter we were too hyped cause the crowd and there was a lot of people in the gym making us nervous. We got used to it after it and then we started (taking) off."

It all came to a head in the final 45 seconds of the first half when the Bulldogs closed out the quarter in showtime fashion.

Fritz-Betiru did a crossover from the right wing before delivering a no-look pass to KC Renton on a backdoor baseline cut to give Kaimuki a 19-12 lead. Jeremiah White then picked off a pass into the front court before throwing it ahead to Fritz-Betiru for the fast break bucket. Another Waipahu turnover led to Cleveland muscling his way to the basket just as the halftime buzzer sounded to give Kaimuki a 23-12 lead at the break.

"We don't know how to play this game at a slow pace," said Espinda. "We play a high-tempo game and we like to run."

The Marauders never recovered after the second quarter and Kaimuki was able to cruise for the victory.

Cleveland stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, all of which came in the second half. He also added four steals and three blocks for good measure.

White led all scorers with 13 points on two triples and Renton added 10 points with six boards and two blocks to round out the leading scorers in double figures for Kaimuki.

Matthew Olaivar had a game-high 14 points and Ashton Rivera posted a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds to lead Waipahu in the loss.