The big boys got their way.
Using a tenacious man-to-man defense and a balanced offense, No. 9 Kamehameha routed Kamehameha-Hawaii 72-42 on Friday in the quarterfinal round of the St. Francis Merv Lopes Hoops Classic.
Sharpshooter Noa Kinimaka led the Kapalama campus with 16 points, including three treys. The senior has swished nine treys in two tourney games, opening up the lanes for coach Greg Tacon’s backdoor-oriented offense.
Alaka’i Freitas added 15 points, and Jaycob Smith tallied 11 as their team shot 65 percent (26-for-40) from the field.
Sophomore Bayley-Allen Manliguis led the Big Island Warriors with 11 points. It was a long day for the visitors, who were physically overpowered by a bigger, older team. KS-Hawaii has just three seniors on its roster. Coach Dominic Pacheco argued with the head official at halftime about the lack of hand-check calls.
Supposedly, hand-checking is a point of emphasis by officials this season. But in a tourney with ILH officials, that hasn’t been the case. The visiting Warriors play in a league that has long earned a reputation for quick whistles on contact. Pacheco believes it would’ve been a different game if the hand checks were called.
"We came down here to play good teams and Kamehameha is a good ILH team. We also wanted to get a good look at the officiating. My concern wasn’t at the top (of the key). It was going to the basket, we were getting raked on the arms. You’ve got to call something, so I got on them about that. (But) they were calling no hand-checking. To me, it’s strange," Pacheco said.
His team shot 25 percent from the field (14-for-55).
Regardless of referee interpretations, the Kapalama squad has been playing elite-level basketball in recent games. The offense was clunky the first few weeks, but now has a flow and timing that Tacon is pleased with.
"They’re getting confidence in what they’re doing," Tacon said, noting that using his surplus of quality defenders is a factor. "We’re making sure we work hard on stopping the ball, getting back in transition. We made a commitment to play as many guys as we can all the time, especially in the first half.
It’s defense where Tacon’s crew has been constant. If and when officials allow more contact, his team adjusts accordingly.
"That’s the way it is. I can’t tell a referee how to call a game," he said.
MERV LOPES HOOPS CLASSIC
Friday
St. Francis 63, Mid-Pacific 56
‘Iolani 69, Kahuku 49
Santa Margarita (Calif.) 68, Saint Louis 59
Farrington 60, Kapolei 42
University 60, Kailua 54
Campbell 59, Kamehameha II 45
Kalaheo 40, Leilehua 39
