East sweeps West in OIA playoffs

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

If any doubt remained about where the power base of O'ahu Interscholastic Association girls basketball is located, it was erased last night as all four Eastern Division teams won their first-round league playoff games.

Kalaheo's Kamala Kau, right, rips a rebound away from Campbell's Jamie Kua in the first quarter. Kalaheo, the East Division's No. 5 seed, defeated West No. 4 Campbell, 42-27. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

That means six of the eight OIA quarterfinalists are from the East, and East No. 3 McKinley is a heavy favorite to defeat West No. 2 'Aiea tonight on a neutral floor at Moanalua.

"Castle finished last in the East, and they took us to double-overtime in the preseason," Mililani coach Kris Tamondong said. "Roosevelt didn't even make the playoffs, and they stuck it to us in the preseason. And today it was No. 5 (Farrington) against No. 4 (Mililani), and you could see the disparity. There's just a great amount of talent over there."

A prime example is Kaiser, a team that started the East season 1-4 with losses to Moanalua, Kalaheo, Kahuku and Farrington. The Cougars have since won five of their past seven, including last night's wire-to-wire win.

"Everyone thinks of us as the underdogs in the East," said senior forward Julia Paulo, who scored seven of her 12 points in the fourth period to help hold off a Radford rally. "People didn't think we could go this far. But I'm glad we played all those good teams early and got the best out of the way. It made us better."

Kaiser is a young team that has taken shape. Its front line of Paulo (5 feet 9), sophomore Kilioe Ali'ifua (5-11) and freshman Sharde Pratt (5-8) combined for 18 points in the first half as the Cougars grabbed a 22-11 lead.

Point guard Shera Yamamoto contributed two steals and a rebound and shooting guard Sarah Black scored on a layup during a 10-0 run midway through the second period.

Kaiser maintained its lead in the third quarter before the Rams cut it to 33-28 early in the fourth on back-to-back 3-pointers by Lia Mickey and Jenna Johnson-Endo.

But Ali'ifua sank two free throws and Kehau Bangay swished a 15-footer to push the lead back to 37-28, and even after Ali'ifua was sent to the bench with her fourth foul at 5:02 remaining, Paulo scored her seven points to help the Cougars pull away.

"We got close, and then we had three straight turnovers and two missed 3-pointers," Radford coach David Lane said. "Those five possessions killed us."

Ali'ifua led all scorers with 14 points. Mickey led the Rams with 11.

Kaiser (6-5) 10 12 11 13—46
Radford (8-3) 7 4 12 10—33

KAISER—Sarah Black 2, Shera Yamamoto 0, Jaime Nerona 2, Mary Ann Taulau 0, Julia Paulo 12, Sharde Pratt 10, Kelly Niiro 0, Kehau Bangay 6, Kilioe Ali'ifua 14. Totals 17 12-17 46.

RADFORD—Joanne Czumalowski 1, Adrianne Dudley 0, Chantel Romano 1, Ashley Rioux 0, Marina Watts 0, Kathleen Suwa 0, Lia Mickey 11, Michelle Winebush 4, Nakita Viavia 3, Talaya Jones 3, Jenna Johnson-Endo 10, Chanetelle Corpuz 0. Totals 11 7-12 33.

3-point goals—Radford 4 (Johnson-Endo 2, Mickey 2).

• FARRINGTON 61, MILILANI 31: Sunshine Misa-Uli scored 11 of her game-high 18 points in the first period when the Governors stormed to a 23-8 lead at Radford gym.

Farrington made 11 of its 15 steals in the first half to take a commanding 37-12 lead at halftime.

"They used the same press that we use, so I told our girls just break it like how we break it in practice," Trojans coach Kris Tamondong said. "But (the Governors) have more speed."

The closest the Trojans could get in the second half was 43-23 late in the third period, but Farrington then went on an 8-0 run to cruise in the fourth.

Mililani (5-6) 8 4 11 8—31
Farrington (8-3) 23 14 8 16—61

MILILANI—Christina Korodan 6, Ashleigh Payne 2, Sandy Nakamura 9, Erin Chapman 2, Lorianne Nonies 5, Rebekah McKoy 0, Yvonne Morris 7, Suzann Jackson 0, Christy Duvauchelle 0. Totals 11 6-10 31.

FARRINGTON—Revelyn Cabaya 6, Elaine Bihag 3, Gretchen Santos 0, Joanne Fernandez 6, Sandy Tauta 2, Racquel Rivera 2, Marissa Keohohou 0, Paepaetele Poasa 5, Tanya Alualu 4, Talia Tupua 0, Andrina Esera 2, Hanau Kaiura 3, Meleane Mateaki 10, Sunshine Misa-Uli 18. Totals 24 9-14 61.

3-point goals—Mililani 3 (Nakamura 2, Nonies 1). Farrington 4 (Fernandez 2, Bihag 1, Kaiura 1).

• KALAHEO 42, CAMPBELL 27: The Mustangs overcame a slow start (trailing 7-3 after the first quarter) to topple the Sabers at McKinley gym.

Taylor Smith scored 11 points and Shaina Siliga 10 for Kalaheo, which outscored Cambpell 16-4 in the fourth quarter.

Kalaheo (7-4) 3 12 11 16—42
Campbell (8-3) 7 6 10 4—27

KALAHEO—Shalei Soveira 0, Shaina Siliga 10, Randi Farstad 0, Jade Simmons 0, Shantel Marumoto 4, Brandi Benson 3, Malia Samson 0, Stephine Hobbs 4, Taylor Smith 11, Kaiena Huihui 2, Kaliko Kepa 6, Kamala Kau 2. Totals 18 5-7 42.

CAMPBELL—Joanne Corpuz 0, Jasmine Lopez 0, Everly San Agustin 2, Jalen Garcia 6, Raynette Whitfield 2, Jamie Kua 6, Jacqueline Mendes 2, Rae-Jonea Costa 0, Chaunte Jackson 9, Teja Bates 0. Totals 11 4-5 27.

3-point goals—Kalaheo 1 (Siliga). Campbell 1 (Jackson).

• McKINLEY 52, LEILEHUA 38: Amber Lee amassed 22 points, 13 rebounds and two blocks to help the host Tigers advance.

McKinley guard Bre Carson did not play because of a sprained ankle.

Leilehua (4-7) 6 14 6 12—38
McKinley (9-2) 15 9 18 10—52

LEILEHUA—Laree Rodriguez 0, Tiana Caravallo 0, Jessica Battease 0, Alexis San Nicolas 14, Pikake Nutter-Gaudet 18, Heidi Hamilton 2, Mahela Punley 2, Isis Acuatualevao 2. Totals 16 6-11 38.

MCKINLEY—Chantel Yadao 7, Rayna Isaki 8, Meagan Miyasaka 6, Melody Ababa 7, Sharlee Kitaoka 0, Ceslie Maafala 2, Amber Lee 22, Kelli Fukumoto 0, Janin Corpuz 0. Totals 21 7-7 52.

3-point goals—McKinley 3 (Isaki 2, Ababa 1).