KEAAU – It was all fun and games early on for Kamehameha’s Darius Olloway at well-attended Koai’a Gym, where the only question was: one hands or two?
Both, actually.
Olloway slammed home two crowd-pleasing dunks Saturday to get the Warriors off and running to a 59-40 victory against Waiakea, but not before a scary moment that hushed the crowd in what could be a playoff preview.
Shortly after his second dunk midway through the second quarter, Olloway went down to the floor holding his ankle and could be heard groaning in pain. Suddenly the question in the 6-foot-4 senior’s mind changed.
“I thought I could possibly be the reason why my team couldn’t (win) BIIFs,” Olloway said.
He was helped off the court and sat out the rest of the game but was smiling afterward and said he was fine – pending possibly getting his ankle checked out. He took part in the traditional senior day activities, albeit with a layup.
He said he knew he was all right when “Coach Mea (Wong) told me to suck it up.”
Considering his affinity for this bunch, Wong said it with aloha.
“This group is fun to be around,” the coach said. “We have a lot of chemistry. We really like each other.”
Senior Logan Watterson led the way with 17 points, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the first quarter, and Nixis Yamauchi did the same at the end of the second quarter, finishing with seven points. Seniors Dorian Roque-Kuamoo and Braedy Yamada also scored seven points apiece, while Olloway had six in his abbreviated time.
His first two slams of the season drew oohs and aahs from a crowd that, he said, made it feel “normally like it did for the seniors before me. Cool to play in front of fans and get them piped up.”
Skylar Macomber scored 12 points for Waiakea (3-3), whose loss a day earlier at Hilo High locked up the playoff pecking order. Kamehameha (7-1) is the top seed and will play either Keaau or Waiakea – who face off Thursday in the first round at the Warriors’ gym – on Friday in the semifinals at Koai’a Gym. The Vikings will head to Kealakekua to face Konawaena on Friday night. The title game is Saturday night at Hilo Civic.
“All we have to do is just trust each other,” Olloway said. “We have all the pieces.”
Kaimalu Haleamau added seven points and Royden Ratific-Justo had six for short-handed Waiakea, which has felt the effects of COVID-19 protocols more than most programs, coach Paul Lee said.
Friday’s game at Hilo was his first on the bench all season, and just the varsity team’s fourth.
“We’re young, but we still should be doing better,” Lee said. “We’ve never had continuity. We’ve struggled, but no excuses. I have to do a better job coaching.”
Friday
Ka’u 55, Pahoa 38: Kaimana Manini-Kaupu scored 20 points and Jensen Villa added 14 as the visiting Trojans won for the second consecutive night, improving to 2-4.
Kailen Kamakeeaina led the Daggers (1-7) with 18 points.
Ka’u, which still has a regular-season game Monday at home against Waiakea, will host either Hawaii Prep or Honokaa on Friday in a BIIF Division II semifinal as the East No. 1 seed. East No. 2 Pahoa visits undefeated Kohala (5-0) in the other semifinal.
Thursday
Kohala 70, Hawaii Prep 36: La’akea Kauka (19 points), Koby Agbayani (16) and O’shen Cazimero (14) led the way in Kapaau as the seniors earned their first career wins against their North Hawaii rival.
Tre Walker scored nine points for Ka Makani (3-3), who will host Honokaa on Thursday in the first round of the D-playoffs.
Honokaa 80, Pahoa 49: Mauloa Tagabi scored 25 points to power the host Dragons to their third consecutive win.
Keawe Tolentino added 14 points and Kinohi Lindsey added 11 for Honokaa (3-2). Lindsey scored 21 and 22 points, respectively, in wins last week against Kealakehe and Ka’u.
Christopher Kaawaloa-Alidon led Pahoa with 15 points and Kalai Midel added 10.
Ka’u 45, Keaau 41: Kaimana Manini-Kaupu scored 19 points and Jensen Villa added eight in Pahala as the Trojans held off the Cougars.
Zayre Fuiava led Cougars (1-6) with 10.
Playoff
Overall records listed; seeding done according to record within division
Thursday, first round
Division I
East No. 4 Keaau (1-6) at East No. 3 Waiakea (3-3), 6 p.m.
Division II
West No. 3 Honokaa (3-2) at West No. 2 Hawaii Prep (3-3), 6 p.m.
Friday, semifinals
Division I
East No. 2 Hilo (6-1) at West No. 1 Konawaena (5-2), 6 p.m.
Keaau-Waiakea winner at East No. 1 Kamehameha (7-1), 6 p.m.
Division II
East No. 2 Pahoa (1-7) at West No. 1 Kohala (5-0), 6 p.m.
Honokaa-HPA winner at East No. 1 Ka’u (2-4), 6 p.m.
Saturday, finals
At Hilo Civic
Division I
Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
Division II
Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.
