Seniors help Kalaheo capture OIA basketball title

By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kalaheo and Mililani, the class of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association, fittingly took each other to the limit in the league's championship game last night at the Neal Blaisdell Arena.

Mililani's Trey Brown and Kalaheo's DC Daniels battle for a loose ball during last night's OIA championship. Kalaheo won, 61-57. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Alama-Francis scored 25 points and grabbed 19 rebounds, and Daniels scored 13 of his 19 points in the second half as the Mustangs won their eighth league title in nine years.

"Every year is a little different," Kalaheo coach Pete Smith said. "We have new guys on the team and also have guys who have been there because we've won it so many times."

Mililani (12-1), which trailed 41-33 midway through the third period, rallied to take a 57-55 lead with two minutes remaining on a field goal by Trey Brown.

Justin Pedrina tied the game on a field goal with 1:42 left and Alama-Francis put Kalaheo up 59-57 with a dunk off a Daniels' miss with 47 seconds remaining.

Kalaheo's James Robertson hit two free throws — his only points of the game — with 30 seconds remaining to ice the game.

"James is a good free-throw shooter," Smith said. "He's a role player for us. We expect our point guards to get us in the offense, not turn the ball over and play great 'D.' "

Alama-Francis, a 6-foot-6 center, dominated play inside. Mililani was forced to foul him every time he got the ball close to the basket.

"I was hungry for the ball," Alama-Francis said. "I felt like I wanted the ball every single time."

Alama-Francis made seven field goals and made 10-of-15 free throws.

"He could have finished a little more inside," Smith said. "He had a great game, but he had a lot of opportunities. The other guys didn't get too many opportunities because we felt we could take advantage of Ikaika inside."

Daniels shot just 1-of-11 in the first half, but made 3-of-5 shots and 7-of-8 free throws in the second.

"I was a little bit nervous in the first half," said Daniels, a 6-3 forward. "It was a big game and we had a lot on the line and we knew Mililani was a tough team."

Mililani's Rashaun Broadus scored 25 points, including his team's final eight of the third period, which made the score 43-41.

Broadus, a 5-11 senior, made four 3-pointers and also scored on drives to the basket and pull-up jumpers.

"Rashaun always steps up," Mililani coach Mike Coito said. "When you have a player like him, you just let him play his game."

Kalaheo, Mililani, Castle and Kaimuki will represent the OIA at the state tournament to be held Feb. 20-23.

Kalaheo won last year's state title by beating Iolani of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu in the final.

"This game really helped us because all the games are going to be tough at states," Alama-Francis said.

Kalaheo (13-0) 17 15 11 18—61
Mililani (12-1) 15 14 12 16—57

Kalaheo—Charles Elliot 0, Michael Gayle 6, James Robertson 2, Shaine Harada 0, Ikaika Alama-Francis 25, Justin Pedrina 7, DC Daniels 19, Michael Garcia 0, Sam Wilhoite 2. Totals 16 25-34 61.

Mililani—Brandyn Fidel 0, Gary Deliz 4, Rashaun Broadus 25, Mitch Rose 4, Andrew Min 3, Trey Brown 9, Alex Patykula 2, Kaipo Patoc 6, Simeon Tavares 4. Totals 21 9-11 57.

3-point goals—Kalaheo 4 (Gayle 2, Alama-Francis 1, Pedrina 1). Mililani 6 (Broadus 4, Deliz 1, Brown 1).

OIA THIRD PLACE

• Castle 61, Kaimuki 36: Joel Botelho scored 19 of his 21 points in the second and third quarters as the Knights (10-4) beat the Bulldogs (10-4) in the third-place game.

Botelho scored 10 points during a 15-6 run over the final 6:09 of the second quarter to give the Knights a 28-20 lead. He hit two of his three 3-pointers during the rally, with his second coming from 23 feet away on the right wing as time expired.

Castle trapped out of a 2-3 zone when Kaimuki had the ball on the wings and corners, and forced 12 first-half turnovers.

Botelho scored nine of the Knights' 13 third-quarter points as Castle took a 41-24 lead into the final period.

Botelho left with 3:03 remaining in the game shortly after picking up an assist on a pass to Ryen Isip under the basket that made the score 55-33.

Kaimuki shot 5-of-22 in the second- half, including 1 of 11 from 3-point range, and committed nine turnovers. Castle shot 12-of-25 in the second half.

Kaimuki 8 12 4 12—36
Castle 11 17 13 20—61

Kaimuki—Jesse Wong 8, Richy Miyasaka 0, Tino Caires 2, Daniel Tautofi 8, Isiah Ano 1, Jimmy Miyasaka 2, Nick Milan 4, Alex Lauriano 0, James Davis 7, Junior Maiava 4, David Nguyen 0, Dexter Tautofi 0. Totals 13 8-12 36.

Castle—Justin Bruhn 2, Jacob Medeiros 0, William Harvest 10, Michael Proctor 9, Emmett Aberilla 2, Charles Teixeira 0, Nelden Torres 0, Ryen Isip 8, Joel Botelho 21, Pookela Craig-Rodenhurst 6, Kurtis Kanekoa 3, Jordan Ukauka 0, Tim Wiitala 0. Totals 23 8-11 61

3-point goals—Kaimuki 2 (Wong). Castle 7 (Botelho 3, Isip 2, Havest 2).

OIA JV Championships

Mililani 44, McKinley 36

ILH

• KAMEHAMEHA 42, ST. LOUIS 34: Willie Melemai and Nalu Perkins each scored 12 points to help the Warriors gain third place in the ILH and clinch a spot in the state tournament.

Iolani and Punahou, the top two teams in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, already earned state tournament spots.

Kamehameha (9-5) 13 16 6 7—42
St.Louis (9-5) 6 10 11 7—34

Kamehameha—Pono Enos 0, Eric Shaver 0, Galen Santana 0, Nalu Perkins 12, Sean Uyehara 0, Caleb Spencer 7, Aaron Kahaloa 11, Jacob Bode , Waika Spencer 0, Willie Melemai 12, Ioane Spencer 0, Aaron Ain 0. Totals 12 12-19 42.

St. Louis—Bobby Tappy 9, Keao Monteilh 0, Douglas Adachi 0, Jose Vidad 2, Tavita Thompson 0, Matt Sonada 2, Desmond Hanohano 0, Jason Rivers 8, Ryan Guillermo 0, Timo Paepule 7, Shane Butcher , Wilson Afoa 4, Jonah Lakatani 2. Totals 14 3-4 34.

3-point goals—Kamehameha 6 (Perkins 3, Kahaloa 3). St. Louis 3 (Tappy 3).

Reported by Mason Nebrija

MAUI

• Lahainaluna 51, Maui 48: The Lunas rallied in the final minutes to defeat the Sabers and advance to the championship of the Maui Interscholastic League.

• King Kekaulike 29, Baldwin 27: Alika Gaskin scored the winning layup with three seconds left as King Kekaulike beat Baldwin in a Maui Interscholastic League semifinal game.