Girls Basketball
Lahainaluna pulls away from Kamehameha, 50-42


Brandon Ching | ScoringLive
November 11, 2017, 8:25pm

  

Sat, Nov 11, 2017 @ McKinley

Lahainaluna

50

Kamehameha

42

Final 1 2 3 4  
Lahainaluna (13-0, 21-5) 12 12101650
Kamehameha (8-5, 17-6) 7 16 13 642
Kiana Vierra 8 pts  1 3pm  1/2 FTs
Braeanna Estabillo-Donato 22 pts  1 3pm  1/4 FTs
Noelle Sua-Godinet 9 tot  1 off  8 def
Rachael Balagso 4 tot  2 off  2 def


Lahainaluna made the most of its trip to Oahu.

The Lunas forced turnovers and outscored Kamehameha in the fourth quarter to win, 50-42, on final day of the McKinley Girls Basketball Black and Gold Classic sponsored by Matsumoto Law Group at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium.

"You can't beat the price of the competition here. We played three of the top five teams in the state in Maryknoll, Iolani and Kamehameha. I'd love to come back if the field is good like this," said Lahainaluna coach Todd Rickard.

"This was a good challenge for us and we aren't very big. Together we can accomplish a lot. We had two players out, but that's not an excuse and we have to accept the challenge," said Lahainaluna senior Braeanna Estabillo.

Estabillo scored a game-high 22 points and her partner in crime Rachael Balagso added 10 more as both guards used their quickness and smarts to combine for 11 steals.

"Braeanna and Rachael are our go-to players. When we need a basket, I tell them not to be so passive. I tell them to create for other players, get to the basket and kick it out to other players," said Rickard.

"Rachael is one of the best defenders on our team and she pushes me and I want to be like her on defense. She's the best of me too and she's my better half," Estabillo said on Balagso.

Kamehameha played without Kalina Obrey and Princy Paaluhi-Caulk. Without those two, Kiana Vierra led the Warriors with eight points and three other players scored six each. This was an opportunity for the team to show Warriors coach Joe Cho who can step up.

"We got a young team that we're trying to mesh together with our experienced and younger kids. We have a ways to go. This is a great opportunity to step up. That's what I keep telling them," said Cho.

The Lunas led 12-7 after the first quarter, but the Warriors managed to tie the game at 12 and 14 off of Keenyn Santiago's and-one and free throws from Camille Feary. Lahainaluna led by six after Hookano's hook, but Kamehameha fought back and trailed by one going into halftime, 24-23, after Malie Marfil's steal and layup.

"We have a small group and we're trying to put the pieces together where we feel where we feel it will feed us the best throughout the season and we try to take it a day at a time," said Rickard.

Vierra tied the game at 28 and the Warriors took the lead three times, 30-28 and 32-30 and 36-34.

"This is a time to find who wants and who doesn't. That's what I use the preseason for," said Cho.

The Warriors won the battle of the boards with a 32 to 14 advantage but committed about 23 turnovers.

Estabillo opened the fourth with steals and buckets to give Lahainaluna the lead and Tori Tihada added a 3-pointer to go up, 43-36. Kamehameha trailed by six and could not get any closer.


Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].




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