Out of the rubble and to the peak.
Hawaii Baptist captured its third crown on Saturday night, stifling a hot Sacred Hearts squad 41-28 in the final of the Heide & Cook/HHSAA Girls Basketball Division II State Championships at Blaisdell Arena.
Joey Lin capped a superb tournament with 12 points, nine rebounds and two steals for the Eagles while returning twice during the game after reinjuring an ankle. Point guard Careah Baitlon was stellar with nine points, six rebounds and five assists. Baitlon and Emi Wada (five points, three assists) were instrumental in HBA’s ability to handle the Lancers’ tenacious fullcourt pressure.
“I feel great. I am exhausted, but I feel great. It was great to see the girls do what they’re supposed to do,” Eagles coach Robin Yamaguchi said. “They worked hard. They started in the summer and it’s been a tough battle.”
Hawaii Baptist (15-11 overall) began ILH play 9-1 before three starters succumbed to injuries. The Eagles hit a three-game tailspin before healing up in time for the state tourney.
Hayley Taka, one of three starters who came back from injury, had eight points and seven rebounds to help charge the efficient Eagles. Thought they shot just 29 percent from the field, they outrebounded the rugged Lancers 39-35 and hit enough of their foul shots (15 of 30) to gain a hefty advantage over Sacred Hearts, which was 4-for-10 at the charity stripe.
KalysaMarie Ng, a sophomore guard, led SHA (14-10) with 10 points and three steals. Dezaray Carter tallied four points and nine rebounds. Like HBA, the Lancers played four games in four days.
“We generally play quicker than you saw tonight. I think our kids didn’t quite have the reserves we needed, and we’ve been going with a pretty short bench in the playoffs,” Lancers coach Richard Kasuya said. “It was an honor to be on the same court with HBA.”
The Eagles won D-II state titles in 2016 under Keith Sugiura and in ’19 under Yamaguchi.
Ravaged by late-season injuries, the Eagles were smoked by Sacred Hearts in their previous matchup, 45-23, on Feb. 5. HBA won their first game on Jan. 29, 48-32.
On Saturday, the Lancers used a 1-3-1 halfcourt trap to discombobulate the Eagles in the opening quarter. HBA shot 1-for-11 from the field and missed all four free-throw attempts but only trailed 5-2.
A 15-foot baseline jumper by Taka hit all net, and after point guard Baitlon splashed a 3 from the left wing, HBA led 14-9 late in the second quarter.
Lin, who left the game early in the second quarter with an injury, returned and drove for a lefty layup to extend HBA’s lead to 16-9.
Sacred Hearts stepped up in the final few minutes of the first half. A straightaway 3 by Ng and a tough basket in traffic by Carter cut the lead to 16-14 before halftime.
That’s when Lin and Baitlon stepped up. Lin, who missed four free throws in the first quarter, knocked down four in a row in the third, and Kaitlyn Maruya’s first bucket of the game came on a corner 3 to give HBA a 23-14 lead.
After Wada fed Baitlon for a corner 3 and fed Alyssa Young for a layup, the Eagles had a 31-17 lead going into the fourth quarter.
HBA stuck with tough man-to-man defense, leaving Sacred Hearts without a clean look. Free throws by Baitlon and Taka helped the Eagles maintain the cushion.
—
Third place
Hanalani 44, Seabury Hall 30
Fifth place
Damien 69, Hawaii Prep 50
