Kamehameha powers by Damien in girls basketball

Makenzie Alapai hustled for 17 points and 16 rebounds as No. 5-ranked Kamehameha overpowered Damien, 55-38, on Wednesday night at the Lady Monarchs’ gym.

The exhibition matchup is the last for either team before the ILH begins. On Tuesday, the ILH regular-season schedule was pushed by a week to Jan. 10.

Alapai dominated with 11 of her caroms on the offensive glass. Guard Kylee Kamauoha-Phillips was electric with 17 points, including three 3-pointers, and tallied six rebounds, four assists and four steals.

Kamehameha improved to 2-2 in nonconference play. A series of offseason and preseason injuries challenged the Warriors, including the loss of senior point guard Maddison Mangalao. With a recent tournament canceled, coach Pua Straight had nearly three weeks of practice without a game, overcoming a total of five injuries to a young roster.

“I think of theme for our team has been no excuses and next girl up,” Straight said.

“I usually think of it as getting rebounds will help my team,” said Alapai, a 5-foot-8 freshman who was also comfortable running the fast break. “If I’m not helping on offense or I’m not doing anything, I will go for the ball on the shot.”

Damien played without two starters, both post players. The Division II Monarchs led once, 3-2, on Tiare Arquero’s wing 3. The visiting Warriors used fullcourt pressure to force four first-quarter turnovers.

With a 14-8 lead going into the second quarter, the Warriors pulled back into halfcourt man. defense and went on a 13-2 run. Kealohilani Kandiah scored a bucket, sophomore Ariana Ferreira-Torralba splashed a 3 and Kamauoha-Phillips hit two treys to propel the big run. One of the threes by Kamauoha-Phillips came after a steal near midcourt to help the Warriors open a 27-190 lead.

Kamehameha led 31-18 at intermission, then used an early third-quarter blitz to open the lead to 19 points.

Kya Kanoho added eight points and five rebounds, Kandiah finished with six rebounds, and Mikylah Labanon tallied six points and three boards. Kamehameha outrebounded Damien 41-25.

Arquero led the Lady Monarchs with 13 points. Akaecia Mateo had nine points and seven rebounds, and Theresa Anakalea added eight points, seven boards and two steals.

Like Kamehameha, Damien suited up seven players.

“We can’t make any excuses. Rebounding, they hurt us big time,” Monarchs coach Mark Arquero said. “I think some of it was jitters. We haven’t played in a long time.”

Damien had a scheduled exhibition game with ‘Iolani on Monday that was canceled. The next game is the ILH D-II opener against Kamehameha I-AA on Jan. 4.

Kamehameha was slated to play Sacred Hearts in an exhibition game today, but that game was canceled. The Warriors will play at ‘Iolani in the ILH D-I opener on Jan. 11.