Moanalua rallies past Maui, 41-37
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
Down 22-8 with less than two minutes remaining in the half, Moanalua rallied for a 41-37 victory over Maui yesterday in the first round of the Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA Girls Basketball Championships.
Na Menehune (8-9) will face O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion and No. 2 seed Roosevelt (14-1) today in a 2:30 p.m. quarterfinal at the Stan Sheriff Center.
Moanalua, which finished fifth in the OIA, was in big trouble early yesterday when the Maui Interscholastic League runner-up Sabers (11-4) jumped to a 16-4 lead after one period. Post players Hotia Va'aimamao, Liliena Laloulu-Saleimoa and Annika Howland combined for 12 points and eight rebounds to help Maui go up 24-14 at halftime and gain a 17-10 edge on the boards.
"Their post players were a concern," said Na Menehune coach Rick Gonsalves. "They were like 6 feet, 6-1, and we don't really see that on O'ahu. But we've been in that situation (down by 10) in the past, so we just had to pick up the intensity."
Moanalua got a lift just before the half when Jade Miller swished a 40-foot shot just before the buzzer. Na Menehune used that as a springboard for the third period, when they applied backcourt pressure to force turnovers and outscore the Sabers 19-5. They took their first lead at 30-29 on Britni Ronolo's layup with 48 seconds left in the period and never trailed again.
"We came into the locker room (at halftime) and our coach reminded us that we were down (by 12) against Kaiser and came back to win, so we knew we could do it if we keep our composure," Ronolo said.
Ronolo and sister Jamie each finished with a game-high 12 points, and Britni Ronolo added eight rebounds, five blocks and three steals.
"We're underdogs, because no one really sees us (as contenders)," Britni Ronolo said. "But we're a close team and we believe in ourselves. We belong here because we worked hard for it, we earned it."
• • •
| DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP WHAT: Hawaiian Airlines girls Division I championship tournament WHERE: Stan Sheriff Center WHEN: through Friday TICKETS: $9 for adults, $5 for 62 and older, and students grades K-12 PARKING: $3 at Stan Sheriff. RADIO: Starcomm Sports Radio will broadcast all games and selected Division II games on KHNR 97.5 FM and streaming on http://www.hi50sports.com" target="_blank">www.hi50sports.com. TV: OC 16 (Oceanic cable) will televise 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. games every day. SCHEDULE Yesterday Game 1 — Moanalua 41, Maui 37 TODAY Consolation Game 5 — Mililani vs. Kalaheo, 12:45 p.m. Quarterfinals Game 6 — Moanalua vs. No. 2 Roosevelt, 2:30 p.m. TOMORROW Consolation Game 10 — Maui vs. Radford, 12:45 p.m. FRIDAY Consolation Game 5 winner vs. G10 winner, 2:30 p.m. Fifth place G11 winner vs. G12 winner, 4:15 p.m. Third place Game 14 loser vs. Game 13 loser, 6 p.m. Championship Game 14 winner vs. G13 winner, 8 p.m. YESTERDAY MOANALUA (8-9) 4 10 19 8—41 MOANALUA—Brianna Lagat-Ramos 0-0 0-0 0, Jade Miller 5-8 0-0 11, Indah Widyakasuma 0-1 0-0 0, Jamie Ronolo 4-12 2-4 12, Britni Ronolo 5-14 2-4 12, Terina Blue 1-5 0-0 3, Nikol Felder 1-6 1-2 3. Totals 16-46 5-10 41. MAUI—Vanity Tuquero 0-0 0-0 0, Mia Shimabuku 0-1 0-0 0, Paea Mataele 0-1 0-0 0, Ariel Gaoiran 2-7 5-7 10, Crystal SIlva 1-4 1-3 3, Lilieni Laloulu-Saleimoa 3-10 2-6 8, Annika Howland 1-1 0-0 2, Hotia Vaaimamao 4-8 2-3 10, Jazimne Corpuz 1-2 2-2 4. Totals 12-34 12-21 37. 3-point goals—Moanalua 4 (Ronolo 2, Miller 1, Blue 1). Maui 1 (Gaoiran 1). Rebounds–Moanalua 23 (B. Ronolo 8, Felder 6), Maui 32 (Laloulu-Saleimoa 11). MILILANI (10-6) 10 9 9 12—40 MILILANI—Kimi Ebina 2-4 0-2 6, Kelsey Woodward 5-8 0-2 12, Summer Wegiel 1-3 0-0 3, Christina Korodan 1-8 4-4 7, Rayna Downey 0-0 0-1 0, Ashley Anthony 1-5 1-6 3, Haunanai Richardson 0-1 0-0 0, Chantel Tanuvasa 1-3 2-4 4, Joleen Realin 1-4 3-4 5. Totals 12-36 10-23 40. KAHUKU—Camilla Ah Hoy 7-13 2-4 16, Lenora Nauahi 1-3 1-2 3, Ane Vea 2-5 0-2 4, Lily Latu 0-1 0-0 0, C. Manguba-Glover 0-1 1-2 1, Artevia Wily 4-15 5-7 14, Nicole Nautu 0-2 0-0 0, Kaimi Ah Puck 2-7 0-0 6, Keisha Moeai 0-0 0-0 0, Salote Livai 0-1 0-0 0, Christin Meredith 2-3 0-0 4, Brittany Fesolai 1-1 0-0 2, Kendra Moe 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 19-52 9-17 50. 3-point goals—Mililani 6 (Ebina 2, Woodward 2, Wegiel 1, Korodan 1). Kahuku 3 (Ah Puck 2, Wily 1). Rebounds–Mililani 30 (Tanuvasa 8), Kahuku 35 (Wily 8, Ah Hoy 7). RADFORD (12-4) 5 6 6 11—28 RADFORD—Leslie Lazo 0-0 0-0 0, Nicole Grebe 0-0 1-2 1, Celina Cruz 0-0 0-2 0, Ashley Rioux 0-0 1-2 1, Marlena Malepeai 3-14 3-6 9, Frances Respicio 0-1 0-0 0, Brittini Fuller 1-5 0-0 2, Kiara Dykes 0-7 0-0 0, Kamia Smith 3-17 2-2 9, Chelsea Villanueva 1-3 4-4 6, Gabby Rellin 0-0 0-0 0, Marsharon DuPont 0-0 0-0 0, Chadney Thompson 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 8-48 11-18 28. KAMEHAMEHA—Miki Nakamura 1-4 0-0 2, Alexis Furtado 1-3 0-0 3, Johanna Sai 2-4 5-7 9, Analee Viena Lota 0-7 0-2 0, Pomaikai Kalakau 0-0 0-0 0, Lindsey Wong 0-0 0-0 0, Piikea Kalakau 0-0 0-0 0, Tiana Abbley 0-2 0-0 0, Pualani Kalakau 0-0 0-0 0, Tatriana Lorenzo 8-14 2-2 18, Leah Godinet 0-2 1-2 1, Kauiokeola Todd 1-1 0-0 2, Kylle Roy 0-0 0-0 0, Casey Lum 1-3 0-0 2, Rhani Kaneaiakala 2-2 7-9 11. Totals 16-42 15-22 48. 3-point goals—Radford 1 (Smith). Kamehameha 1 (Furtado). Rebounds—Radford 40 (Villanueva 7, Smith 6) Kamehameha 35 (Sai 6, Lorenzo 6). KONAWAENA (13-2) 17 22 10 11—60 KONAWAENA—Kaua Wall 0-0 0-0 0, Malia Tanaka 1-1 0-0 2, Liana Hanato-Smith 0-2 0-0 0, Kayti Bowman 0-1 4-6 4, Kara Hanato-Smith 1-5 0-0 3, Leesa Deniz 3-3 0-0 6, Haunani Liftee 5-8 0-0 13, Jazzmin Awa-Williams 9-19 5-7 26, Mana Hopkins 2-3 0-0 4, Marissa Minor 1-3 0-0 2, Lucy Brown 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 22-45 9-15 60. KALAHEO—Hoku Kaiu-Denning 2-3 2-2 6, Delicia Wilson 0-3 2-2 2, Lohi Aweau 2-3 0-0 5, Nova Bird 0-0 0-0 0, Anu Ah Yun 0-0 0-2 0, Shanadee Canon 3-11 4-6 10, Brianne Villarosa 0-2 0-0 0, Caira Pires 0-1 1-2 1, Katie Lintz 1-2 0-2 2, Kendra Fischer 3-8 5-5 12, Kaliko Kepa 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 11-37 14-21 38. 3-point goals—Konawaena 7 (Liftee 3, Awa-Williams 3, K. Hanato-Smith 1). Kalaheo 2 (Aweau, Fischer). Rebounds—Konawaena 34 (Awa-Williams 9). Kalaheo 22 (Canon 4). |
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.
