HHSAA basketball: Kahuku overpowers Konawaena in opening round

Konawaena hung around for a quarter, then it was all Kahuku, which flexed its muscle in the opening round of the HHSAA Division I boys basketball tournament.

Hirkley Latu scored 17 points and the Red Raiders took advantage of 24 Wildcats turnovers and dominated in the second half for a 72-40 victory at Moanalua High in Honolulu.

Austin Aukai scored 11 points before fouling our for BIIF runner-up Konawaena (11-3).

Austin Ewing’s jumper early in the third quarter cut the Wildcats’ deficit to 32-26, but Kahuku (10-6), the OIA’s No. 5 team, used a 21-4 run to blow the game open.

The Red Raiders shot 57.7 percent in the second half. The Wildcats were 17 of 43 in the game.

Ewing finished with nine points and five rebounds for Konawaena, which will play Leilehua of the OIA in the consolation bracket at 5 p.m. Thursday.

BIIF champion Waiakea (14-0), the No. 4 seed, will play Kaiser at 5 p.m. at McKinley in the quarterfinals. The Cougars (13-2) bested OIA rival Kailua 41-35 in the first round.