KAILUA-KONA — In a game that neither team could afford to lose, Kealakehe utilized an 18-point run in the first half to score a 53-47 victory over visiting Keaau on Wednesday night.
KAILUA-KONA — In a game that neither team could afford to lose, Kealakehe utilized an 18-point run in the first half to score a 53-47 victory over visiting Keaau on Wednesday night.
While there are still several games to go before the BIIF playoffs in February, the Waveriders and Cougars were in a near must-win situation as both teams looked to get out of the Division I cellar.
“In the locker room we had the discussion that this is a do-or-die situation,” said Kealakehe assistant coach Keola Oka. “It’s still a little early but we knew that this would tell where we stand on the scale for playoffs. We needed this one.”
The Waveriders pulled out the victory thanks to the hot shooting of Blaine Broberg. He scored the first eight points of the game and reached double digits by the end of the first quarter. He finished with 16.
“We really look to Blaine. He is a finisher and can shoot outside,” Oka said. “His presence is multifaceted and we really depend on him a lot.”
Kealakehe’s Michael Jacinto finished with 12 points, while Abraham Kalavi and Jonah Kaulia each had eight.
Keaau nearly came back in the second half, getting as close as two points midway through the fourth quarter, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome. The Cougars were led by Charles Caldwell, who managed 12 points. Jyric Queniahan followed with eight.
“We came out feeling great in the second half and they went on a run and caught up quickly,” Oka said. “The problem was with our passing. We really need to work on it and get more fundamentally sound. Sometimes we just get into that little slump.”
Kealakehe’s Broberg gave his team an 8-2 advantage to start the game, rolling in three layups and scoring on a putback, which forced the Keaau coach to call an early timeout.
After the timeout, the Cougars defense picked up and they were able to quickly cut into the deficit with a pair of 3-pointers by Queiniahan. With two minutes to play in the opening frame, Keaau’s Reynaldo Arcellana scored on a layup to tie the game at 10.
Kealakehe opened the second quarter with 14 straight points to complete a 18-0 run. Broberg and Jacinto led the scoring streak with three baskets apiece. Kaulia knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner and Terswit Francis added a pair of layups.
It took nearly six minutes for the Cougars to score in the second frame. Keaau broke the scoring drought on a putback by Damion Scandrick. Rico-Logan Handy followed with a steal and finished the play with a layup.
Trailing 32-18 at halftime, Keaau answered the bell to start the second half with an 8-0 run behind solid defense that forced several turnovers. Caldwell scored from downtown and followed with a putback. Kirk Imai also hit a shot from beyond the arc to cut the deficit to six points.
Using his size and long wingspan, Kalavi started the fourth quarter with a pair of rebounds and layups to put the Waveriders up by 10.
Keaau followed with a 3-pointer by Caldwell and a steal and layup by Imai, and taking advantage of poor shooting from the line by the Waveriders late in the game, the Cougars managed to knock down a few foul shots of their own to cut the deficit to two points with three minutes to play.
Kalavi managed to keep the Waveriders in front, but just barely, by rolling in a pair of layups. However, Keaau stayed on Kealakehe’s heels, trailing 48-46 with a minute and a half remaining.
Jacinto hit a short jumper inside the paint for a four point advantage, but with 19 seconds to play Keaau’s Handy went to the line and hit the second of two shots to make it a one possesion game.
Forced to foul, Kealakehe’s Kaulia was sent to the line with 14 second to play and hit his first shot for a 51-47 advantage.