By BILL O’REAR Tribune-Herald sports editor ADVERTISING Sophomore Jodd Carter answered a call for a miracle and banked in a 52-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift Hilo High School to an electrifying 62-60 win over rival Waiakea on Friday
By BILL O’REAR
Tribune-Herald sports editor
Sophomore Jodd Carter answered a call for a miracle and banked in a 52-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift Hilo High School to an electrifying 62-60 win over rival Waiakea on Friday night.
About 350 stunned fans watched the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I boys basketball game at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
It appeared the visiting Warriors — who had 30 turnovers and fought off almost every Viking challenge — would pull off a shocking upset over the favored hosts. But after two Hilo misses in the final 12 seconds, a long rebound was tipped deep into the backcourt by a hustling Warrior as both teams fought for possession.
Carter came up with the loose ball about 70 feet away and dribbled toward midcourt past two Waiakea defenders. He then launched a line-drive shot that sailed through the tense Civic air and banked in as the buzzer sounded, turning what looked like a sure loss into a clutch victory that clinched the East Division’s No. 2 seed in the upcoming playoffs.
The incredible game-winner stunned the Warriors (4-6) and ignited a big celebration by the Vikings (6-3) and their fans.
“I guess the basketball gods were on our side tonight,” Hilo coach Jason Mandaquit said. “It’s a big win.”
Carter, a 5-foot-9 shooting guard, led Hilo with 18 points — but it was his final 3-pointer that had fans talking about well after the exciting game finished.
“I didn’t want to give up,” he said following the high-intensity contest. “I was trying to get open (after grabbing the loose ball in the backcourt). It felt good when I let it go — it was on line. I was just hoping it would go in.
“When it went in, I felt so excited.”
It took that kind of shot to separate the BIIF rivals at the final buzzer.
The Warriors, under coach Paul Lee, trailed 17-16 at the end of the first period before carrying a 31-29 lead into the intermission. Sophomore Lucas St. George led the visitors with 12 of his team-high 18 points in the half. But it was a spark off the bench from freshman guard Cody Kojima that helped settle down the Waiakea ballhandlers in the half. Up until that time, Hilo’s press had produced turnover after turnover and it looked the Vikings might break the game open.
Then in the third quarter, the Warriors outscored Hilo 17-5 as the 6-3 St. George and fellow sophomores Dillon Rellez and Bryson Ita contributed key baskets or plays.
Waiakea then stretched its cushion to 16 points on Rellez’s two free throws with 5:46 remaining in the fourth period.
However, the Vikings stormed back as seniors Kainoa Kawaha and Rico Loeak and the ever-present Carter fueled a 17-2 run to pull the hosts within 54-53 on Loeak’s 3-pointer at the 3:28 mark.
The gritty Ita then drained two free throws on Waiakea’s next possession to make it 56-53. But Hilo senior Kamu Patnaude hit a 12-foot jumper at 2:10 to slice the margin to 56-55.
Talented sophomore Jalen Carvalho made two free throws with 1:27 left to give the Vikings their first lead of the second half.
Kojima was fouled on the press and he calmly nailed two free throws at 1:26 to lift the Warriors on top 58-57.
Loeak answered with a driving layup to give Hilo a 59-58 advantage at the 1:08 mark. Rellez was fouled at :21 and swished two clutch free throws to lift the Warriors on top a final time, at 60-59.
The Vikings called time and tried to work for a good shot, leading up to the last rebound that was tipped deep into the backcourt. Then in a bang-bang play that almost seemed in slow-motion, the crafty Carter grabbed the loose ball, dribbled upcourt and made the hard-to-believe game-winner.
In the fourth quarter, Hilo outscored Waiakea 28-12 to pull out the win. Critical turnovers and poor clock management stung the Warriors, leaving them with a heartbreaking loss.
Loeak followed Carter with 16 points. Kawaha had 11 and Carvalho 10 in a balanced attack.
Rellez followed St. George with 13 points. Ita, who had a steady second half, and junior Michael Morikawa each added eight points.
JV: Waiakea 39, Hilo 38. Wai: Kyle Kua-Ramirez, 17. Hilo: AJ Matsumoto, 12; Fa’a Fuiava, 12.
Waiakea 16 15 17 12 — 60
Hilo 17 12 5 28 — 62
* Honokaa 54, Konawaena 43: At Honokaa, Keanu Freitas scored 15 points and Isaiah Meyer 10, including three treys, to lead the D-II Dragons (3-6) to the upset and hand Konawaena (7-1) its first loss in the West Division standings.
Keenan Gaspar scored 18 points and Brenton Shropshire 10 to lead Konawaena.
JV: Honokaa 45, Kona 42. Hon: Shyrone Batin, 15. Kona: Kahoalii Karratti, 11; Kevin Medeiros, 11.
Konawaena 4 10 13 16 — 43
Honokaa 5 15 15 19 — 54
* Pahoa 57, Ka’u 43: At Pahoa, junior Maverick Tebelak scored 17 points and junior Nick Fisher 12 to lead the D-II Daggers (7-3), who clinched the East’s top seed at the Division II tournament.
Alika Kaopua scored 10 points to lead the D-II Trojans (2-8).
JV: Pahoa 44, Ka’u 30. Pahoa: Thearl Tadeo, 12. Ka’u: Larry Navarro, 15; Royden Esperon, 11.
Ka’u 8 13 9 13 — 43
Pahoa 19 12 12 14 — 57
* HPA 52, Kohala 47: At Kapaau, senior Dakota Berman scored 18 points and senior Tyler Van Kirk 14 to lead the D-II Ka Makani (5-3) to the key West Division win.
Junior Makani Kualii scored 10 points and senior Chris Roxburgh nine to lead the D-II Cowboys (7-2).
JV: HPA 63, Kohala 52.
HPA 9 13 14 16 — 52
Kohala 10 14 15 8 — 47
