Leilehua holds off Nanakuli

Leilehua took command in the second quarter and rode on to a 58-49 girls basketball victory over visiting Nanakuli on Friday night.

The Mules (6-1) stayed right behind first-place Radford (6-0) in the Oahu Interscholastic Association West.

The Golden Hawks, who fell to 3-3, started with a 6-2 lead, but Leilehua stormed ahead with a 20-point run for a 22-6 bulge early in the second quarter.

“It was a slow start for us,” Mules coach Elroy Dumlao said after the win. “We were a little stale until we started to put the pressure on them and got some easy baskets. They have some good players who can hit the short jumpers and drive, so we fell into a matchup and got them out of their comfort zone.”

Shaylee Todani, a junior starting her first game, provided a big spark in the go-ahead spurt. She hit a two 3-pointers and also went coast-to-coast for a layup after a steal. Todani finished with 12 points.

Two Mules were among those turning in strong two-way games — seniors Tianna Hanohano and Tywanna Abbott. Both were instrumental on defense in the paint and both put points on the board. Hanohano led Leilehua with 14 points and Abbott added 11.

The Leilehua lead was 18 points at halftime, 31-13, and it got as big as 23, 45-22, near the end of the third quarter.

Nanakuli made a spectacular comeback to get it to the final margin of nine, with Alana Nuuanu and Kalei Cates leading the way. Nuuanu scored all 14 of her points, including two 3-pointers, in the second half. Cates hit for eight straight Golden Hawks points — which included two 3-point swishes — to trim the deficit from 16 points to 57-47 with one minute to go.

“The comeback, that’s something we do very well,” Nanakuli coach Randy Kauhane said. “(When we’re ahead in games) I should tell them that we’re behind. We’ve had problems with the eight-minute breakdowns the whole year. Tonight, it was between the second and third quarters. We tried to force it too much in the first half. The girls knew we were looking for them to pass and look for the open shot and not force it. But I’ll never complain about the energy they give.”

Senior Jahnna Kahele-Madali scored 11 points in the Golden Hawks’ loss.

NANAKULI—Alana Nuuanu 14, Jahnna Kahele Madali 11, Kalei Cates 10, Kanani Diamond 0, Cruzita Enos 0, Kaylee Nuuanu 0, Kipona Ah Sui 3, Raynette Meyers-Kahalehoe 6, Trisdyn Kalaau 5, Misnash Savea 0.

LEILEHUA—Regina Dela Cruz 2, Megan Ayala 4, Alexis Nihipali 0, Hannah Coffin 3, Kayleen Kamelamela 4, Kayla Posiulai 0, Tianna Hanohano 14, Twyanna Abbott 11, Chyel Palmer 4, Saramasina Docktor 0, Alaese McKenzie 0, Abigail Flores 4, Shaylee Todani 12, Azah Quach 0.

3-point goals—Nanakuli 5 (A. Nuuanu 2, Cates 2, Kalaau), Leilehua 4 (Todani 3, Ayala).