The Kamehameha Warriors varsity boys basketball team had a rematch against King Kekaulike on January 19, 2012. Nā Ali`i won again with a score of 33-46, racking up two victories over the Warriors this season.
Nā Ali`i started the game by pushing the Warriors hard, scoring their first point within a minute and a half of the first quarter.
They continued to push and kept the Warriors on defense. Nā Ali`i spent most of the first quarter keeping the ball out of Warrior hands, and they’d scored 16 points by the end of the quarter, holding the Warriors to a score of zero.
The Warriors were not able to take the lead during the game.
“We had low energy during the first quarter,” junior Kolby Ah Sau said. This coupled with the high energy of the King Kekaulike team was a recipe for a rough first quarter.
“We came out hard in the beginning because if you put pressure on the ball, you also pressure the other team,” said Coach Bill
Naylor of King Kekaulike.
In the second quarter, Nā Ali`i again came out fireing, scoring just a minute into the second quarter, but junior Luke Batoon retaliated a minute later by scoring on a 3-point shot for the Warriors. He was quickly followed by Erin Lindsey and Kolby Ah Sau who both scored an additional 2 points each. The second quarter ended with Nā Ali`i leading, 7-23.
“I think we were lucky with that fast start. After that, we became a little complacent and that’s why they were able to catch up,” Coach Naylor said.
Thirty seconds into the third quarter, RJ Moku scored 2 points for the Warriors followed by Luke Batoon, who scored 6 points – one field goal and four free throws. Soon after, Kamaka Keawekane scored on 2 free throws, and Erin Lindsey scored with two minutes left on the
clock. The third quarter ended, 18-34, with Nā Ali`i keeping a large lead.
The Warriors fought hard and brought their intensity during the fourth quarter, scoring 10 points while Nā Ali`i scored 2.
The last half of the quarter was full of free throws, save for Ah Sau scoring on a 3-point shot for the Warriors.
The game ended with Nā Ali’i victorious, 46-33.
Luke Batoon was the highest scorer for the Warriors, scoring 11 points. He and Kolby Ah Sau were also the only Warriors to score with a 3-point shot.
“It felt great to score a 3-point shot as the first successful shot for us,” Luke Batoon said. “I think we started to gain our confidence back. We are going to practice hard these next few weeks.”
