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Freshmen Nihoa Dunn and Rylee Paranada scored 12 points each as No. 7 Kamehameha edged No. 9 Waiakea 57-53 on Thursday night at the I Mua Invitational in Kamehameha’s Kekuhaupio Gymnasiuim.
Korrilyn Fernandez and Jolie Mantz finished with 14 points apiece to lead Waiakea (2-2). Pua Herrington tallied 12 points and Ava Santos chipped in 10.
Kamehameha (6-2) used tough man-to-man pressure in full and halfcourt. Pomaikai Nakakura (eight points) and Mackenzie Alapai (nine) boosted the Warriors’ balanced attack.
“That’s a great game. We’re happy to play in competitive, close games. It gives us the experience for the super tough ILH schedule,” Kamehameha coach Pua Straight said.
Paranada scored five points during a third-quarter Kamehameha surge that sparked a 14-7 run to open a 45-30 lead late in the third.
Waiakea then turned the tables with a 13-2 run. Hi‘ilani Texeira, Mantz and Herrington splashed consecutive 3-pointers in transition to bring Waiakea within 45-43 early in the fourth quarter.
Kamehameha stepped up defensively. Nakakura scored on a steal and later on a free throw as the home team stretched the lead to 49-43.
Waiakea was within 51-47, but Kya Kanoho’s putback on a missed free throw opened the lead to six with 1:27 left.
Mantz sank one foul shot to cut the margin to five with 45 seconds remaining. Kamehameha missed a third front end on a 1-and-1, but got the offensive rebound. After Paranada missed two bonus foul shots, Kamehameha secured another offensive carom.
Mikylah Labanon finally ended the streak by sinking two foul shots with 25.5 seconds to go for a 55-50 cushion. Waiakea got no closer than four points the rest of the way.
Nakakura hit two free throws in the final seconds for a 57-50 lead.
“Our initial defense is OK. Our defensive rebounding really hurt us this game, which was somewhat surprising being that we’ve been at about 75% rebounding percentage so far. We definitely gave them second-, third-, fourth-chance opportunities. That hurt,” Straight said.
The visiting Warriors kept the lead in single digits through the first half. They trailed 12-5 when Waiakea coach Shaun Fuiava called time out during the first half, then rallied to within one point in the second quarter.
No. 3 Maryknoll 38, Kamehameha-Hawaii 35
Ciera Tugade-Agasiva scored eight points and Taimane Faleafine-Auwae added seven as the Lady Spartans hung on for victory.
KS-Hawaii was within 33-32 when Maryknoll’s Hailey Perez sank two free throws with 1:04 remaining for a three-point lead.
Trailing 37-32 down the stretch, Keanu Huihui’s wing 3 with 6.2 seconds left brought the Warriors within three points.
Faleafine-Auwae hit a foul shot for a 38-35 Maryknoll lead with 3.7 seconds to play. KS-Hawaii was unable to get a shot off in the final ticks.
Huihui scored 17 points and Maela Honma tallied 14 to lead KS-Hawaii.
Radford 49, Kahuku 37
Mailana Mattos and Jirah Villanueva scored 16 points each as the Lady Rams outlasted the Lady Raiders. Mele Taumoepeau and Tu‘isila Wily-Ava led Kahuku with 11 points each.
Kaiser 58, Kamehameha I-AA 42
Alexus Ma‘ae poured in 22 points and Jaime Kimura tallied 11 for the Cougars. Keira Navarro scored 11 points to lead the Warriors.
More Thursday girls basketball scores:
Pa‘ani Tournament (Punahou)
No. 8 Damien 51, Leilehua 29
> DMS: Theresa Anakalea 32. LEI: Dynasty Maunakea 8.
Mid-Pacific 34, Punahou I-AA 29
> MPI: Maile Bellevou 11. PUN2: Tiffannie Chang 11.
Esperanza (Calif.) 48, Moanalua 33
> ESP: Kaiya Mack 23. MOA: Rheanna Nobleza 12.
No. 6 Punahou 50, Hilo 17
> PUN: Shonty Passi 12. HILO: Tiffany Castillo 9.
Lancer Jamboree (Sacred Hearts)
At La Pietra gym (Thursday only)
Sacred Hearts 53. Kalani 29
> SHA: Nahenahe Alo 13. KLN: Alina Stephenson 10.
Hawaii Baptist 73, Kalaheo 20
> HBA: Careah Baitlon 15, Ally Low 15. KLH: Taysha Ukauka 6.
Waimea 61, La Pietra 21
> WAIM: Katelyn Constantino 22. LP: Nina Batacan 14.
Friday’s games
I Mua Invitational (Kamehameha)
Kamehameha-Hawaii vs. Radford, 3:30 p.m.
Waiakea vs. Maryknoll, 5 p.m.
Kamehameha I-AA vs. Kahuku, 6:30 p.m.
Kamehameha vs. Kaiser, 8 p.m.
Lancer Jamboree (Sacred Hearts)
At Sacred Hearts gym
Kalaheo vs. Sacred Hearts, 4 p.m.
Kalani vs. La Pietra, 5:30 p.m.
Waimea vs. Hawaii Baptist, 7 p.m.
Pa‘ani Tournament (Punahou)
Damien vs. Mid-Pacific, 5 p.m. (ewa)
Esperanza (Calif.) vs. Hilo, 5 p.m. (ewa)
Leilehua vs. Punahou, 6:30 p.m. (main)
Punahou I-AA vs. Moanalua, 6:30 p.m. (ewa)
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