Keaau does just enough things really well to be considered a BIIF Division I basketball contender, like going on hot shooting streaks and locking down on transition defense.
Keaau does just enough things really well to be considered a BIIF Division I basketball contender, like going on hot shooting streaks and locking down on transition defense.
Behind 59 percent shooting and riding a strong wave of confidence, the Cougars beat Honokaa 62-43 in the Hilo High Holiday Prep Classic on Thursday at the Vikings Gym.
It was a significant win because the Dragons, a solid Division II contender, are a lot deeper on the bench and a little more athletic. They tested Keaau’s ball-handling with a full-court press. The Cougars had 27 turnovers, the same number as Honokaa.
Charles Caldwell-Kaai scored 15 points, Kirk Imai 14, Jyric Queniahan 10 while Rico Handy and Reynaldo Arcellana had eight points each for Keaau, which could have made its life more comfortable if not for errant free throws.
The Cougars went just 8 of 27 from the line. The Dragons were a tad better with 11 of 27 free throws.
For the most part, Keaau broke Honokaa’s press (only charged with one 10-second halfcourt violation), and scored off rim attacks a few times, especially Caldwell-Kaai, a senior forward.
The Cougars also raced back on defense and minimized Honokaa’s layup attempts in transition. Keaau isn’t very tall but showed that sometimes hustle and not height is the best defensive strategy.
Koa Callihan scored 10 points and Micah Lorenzo added seven for the Dragons, who shot 31 percent (15 of 48) and took nine more shots because they rebounded better against Keaau’s 2-3 zone.
Queniahan, Arcellana and Imai each knocked down two 3-pointers, showing a long-range capability. The Cougars don’t really have a post offense. Handy, who’s also a soccer player, is another scoring weapon with dribble-penetration and pull-up jumpers.
But they’ve got a tough post defender in 6-foot-2 Damion Scandrick,who relied on his muscular frame, quick feet and perfect timing to rack up two blocks.
“Jyric and Rico are two very good ball-handlers. Kirk can play at guard or the post,” said Keaau coach Jun Pagala, whose assistant is daughter Jacy Pagala. “Reynaldo is our 3-point shooter and defensive specialist. Charles is our glue. He gets the team communicating.”
Tzion Carland, a junior forward, will be Keaau’s key rebounder, along with Scandrick and Caldwell-Kaai.
“Tzion is our rebounder, our rubbish picker,” Pagala said. “His free throw shooting percentage is really high.”
Unfortunately, Carland didn’t get to the line against the Dragons, who played a man defense and got burned a few times when they trapped and Queniahan, Arcellana and Imai swished open 3-balls.
Imai’s sisters, Kirsty and Kamie Imai, led Waiakea to the BIIF championship in 2008. One year later, Konawaena began its run of seven consecutive league titles. He’s tall as the 5-9 Kamie and a versatile scorer.
The Cougars haven’t been to the HHSAA Division I state tournament since 2009. They finished with a 5-7 record last season, including a huge 54-52 win over Kamehameha, the BIIF runner-up. They just missed a spot to the four-team BIIF playoffs.
“That win gave us confidence and it carried over into the summer,” Pagala said. “We want to be a contender and compete in every game. If we keep working hard, build with what we have and work together, we have a chance to do that.”
Jacy Pagala, a 2012 Keaau graduate, is not only an assistant but a role model as well. Like Handy, she played basketball and soccer during the winter season. She maintained a high grade-point average and played college ball at Arizona Western.
“She brings that experience to practice and handles a lot of the drills,” said Jun, who has a family operation at Keaau. His wife Brandi is the scorekeeper and runs the concession. Their freshman son Branden is on the JV team. “She’s really good with the kids. Jacy knows when to be stern and when to be like a friend. My niece (Kierstyn Yamamoto) is on the girls team. I have a lot of family support.”
Jacy points to Caldwell-Kaai as the team leader. He and Handy earned All-BIIF honorable mention last season.
“He works hard and supports the boys,” she said. “He’s always positive and is always picking the team up. He’s stern, too, when he has to be. He has an outside shot. Now, we’re working on his post moves.”
The Cougars have room for improvement. They didn’t block out and rebound well against Honokaa. They tagged fouls on the Dragons but missed too many free throws.
But those are minor details in Jacy Pagala’s book. She and her dad have bigger plans for the Cougars. A BIIF postseason trip would be nice, but even better if the players maximized their potential.
“We look at basketball as a bonus,” she said. “We like teaching life lessons, like responsibility. School comes first. You have to be responsible for your actions and hard work gets you places.”