Lexington Catholic rolls past Kaiser in Iolani Classic opener

Rayden Aoki | SL

Kaiser and Lexington Catholic battled it out Tuesday afternoon to kick things off at the 41st annual Iolani Classic, where the Knights took control of the game and soundly defeated Kaiser, 83-28.

Jacob Holland led the way for Lexington Catholic, scoring 13 points including three triples. Aaron Cadena of Kaiser scored six off of two shots also from behind the arc.

The Cougars opened the game with a promising start, having won the tipoff and scoring on each of their first two possessions. Both field goals came from Tripp Kahunahana, and the Cougars led 4-2. That lead was their last of the game.

By the end of the first quarter, the Knights led 29-9. Their defense ran a full-court press and caused Kaiser to turn the ball over numerous times. When the Cougars did score, it was thanks to quick vertical passing that beat the press and led to open shots in transition.

The Lexington Catholic defense continued to force turnovers throughout the rest of the first half and extended the score to 38-9. In the final two minutes of the first half, Kaiser finally found the bottom of the net after a three from Knoxx Wright and a pair of free throws from Connor Sasaki. The Knights led 14-52 at the end of the first half, 21 of their points coming after 19 Kaiser turnovers.

In the third quarter, Jake Sakihara and Aaron Cadena each connected on a three, but were no match for the Knights, who increased their lead to 50 before the start of the fourth, and finished the game 83-28.

It was Lexington Catholic's first trip back to the Classic since 2014. Brandon Salsman, head coach of the Knights, was excited to bring his third team to the tournament, highlighting how he makes sure they play high quality teams. "Kaiser's got a great team, so we're excited to see what we can do," he said before the game.

Kaiser also had not been to the Classic in years, their last appearance being in 2019. "It means a lot to these guys… The best teams in the country want to get in, and for us to be a part of it is really cool, and it's a good experience for the boys," head coach Bricen McCartney shared.

McCartney outlined a simple game plan for Kaiser. "We have to make sure we execute correctly, and get a shot up on every possession. Defensively, we have to talk and rebound, because if we don't, we're in trouble."

In his second year as head coach at Kaiser, McCartney is eager to continue momentum after finishing 8-2 in the regular season and runners-up in OIA D2 last year. "We had great players on that team that bought in and took ownership," he said. This year, the Cougars have only two seniors, compared to last year's seven, but retain experience from six total returners. Takeaways from the game included working on being "fundamentally sound and executing better."

Before and after the game, both teams showed great sportsmanship. Kaiser welcomed the Knights, all the way from Kentucky, with profound aloha. After the game, players and staff from both teams shared a meal outside the gym, "talking to each other, smiling, and laughing." McCartney said that it "shows the aloha spirit is alive and well," and that "the boys did a great job of welcoming them with open arms."