For a stirring five minutes, the Mililani Trojans ran like the wind with the Kapolei Hurricanes.
Then the Hurricanes put their transition game into overdrive. Zoar Nedd powered No. 7-ranked Kapolei with 20 points and nine rebounds in a 70-38 win at the Trojans’ gym on Thursday night.
Kapolei improved to 2-0 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association West Division (7-4 overall) and will host Waianae on Saturday.
“We defended this time. Last game against Leilehua, we didn’t defend too good,” said Nedd, a 6-foot-4 senior. “We practiced a lot on defense and getting back in transition because we didn’t do that in the Maryknoll (preseason) game.”
Isiah Higa looked fully healed from a preseason ankle injury, pumping in 17 points, including four 3-pointers. Ja’Shon Carter added 13 points and seven boards. All four of his assists were in the first half.
Senior Cameron Henry led the Trojans with 13 points, including eight in the first quarter. Mililani slipped to 0-2 in the OIA West (2-9 overall).
Mililani will visit rival Leilehua on Saturday.
Despite the whiplash, breakneck pace of the first quarter, it was just a matter of time before the ‘Canes took control. A steal and layup by former Trojan Jalen Miller and a tough drive to the bucket by Carter sparked a big run.
Trailing 11-8, Kapolei closed the first quarter with a 12-3 run.
The hot-shooting Trojans cooled off significantly as Kapolei opened the second quarter with a wing 3 by Higa and continued on a 14-3 run for a 34-17 lead.
Down 40-21 at intermission, the host Trojans made it interesting at the start of the second half. Jace Patsel, a junior forward, hustled for a follow shot and stroked a 3, and after Henry splashed a trey, Mililani had cut the lead to 40-29.
Kapolei then cut the supply off, going on a 17-2 run to close the third quarter. Nedd was in coast-to-coast mode much of the time, unstoppable on drives and runners the paint. After Julius Buelow hustled for a putback and Nathaniel Whitehurst exploded for a drive to the rack, Carter hit a 3 at the buzzer to end the third.
The ’Canes led 57-31 entering the fourth.
