Girls basketball earns spot at state tourney
Photo by Quinn Williams
Kimani-Fernandez Roy is up for the basket in the fourth quarter, helping the Warriors advance in their game against Baldwin on Thursday, Feb. 4, at Ka’ulaheanuiokamoku Gymnasium.
The Kamehameha Maui girls basketball team, with the best record KSM has ever seen, earned their way to the Maui Intercholastic League finals and the Hawaiʻi High School Athletic Association State Competition, with a win against the Baldwin Bears last night at Kaʻulaheanuiokamoku Gymnasium.
“The game was great,” Coach Victor Aguirre said. “If you’re going to go to states, that’s how you should go.”
With a slow start in the first quarter, the Warriors came out on defense and did not score until more than halfway through the quarter. The Bears came out on top in the first quarter scoring 5 points in the last minute and a half, with one of the baskets being scored by Baldwin’s Chaniya Silva in the last 10 seconds. The quarter ended 4-9, Baldwin.
The Bears maintained their lead in the second quarter, which ended 21-16, Bears. Due to a timer malfunction, the Warriors advanced by two points at the end as the Bears were caught off guard by a buzzer that sounded 15 seconds early. Midway through the quarter, the announcer had warned both teams that it could happen.
In the third quarter, the Warriors moved into the lead. The score tied in the first two minutes at 21-21. Senior Rebeka Revelle scored three free throws in a row, which initiated the lead. The Warriors added 16 points in the third quarter, ending with 32 points, while the Bears added 6, ending with 27.
In the last and game-deciding quarter, the Warrior kept a close lead. Though the game could’ve gone either way, Ashley Peralta secured the Warrior’s lead by scoring on two free throws in the last 15 seconds, moving the score from 39-37 to 41-37, Warriors. With 7 seconds left, the Bears’ Chaniya Silva, scored a 3-pointer, making the score 41-40, with the Warriors still in the lead.
Kimani Fernandez-Roy later got fouled and sank 1 of her 2 free throws and the score was 42-40, Warriors, with 2.9 seconds left. Following that play, the Bears threw in the ball and immediately attempted to call a timeout with .7 seconds on the clock, but the Bears were given a technical foul due to not having any more timeouts left in the game.
Ashley Peralta took the two free throws, making both and securing the win for the Warriors. The Warriors then ran out the clock and secured their trip to the state competition in second place.
“Hats off to the Warriors, they did a good job holding us off,” Baldwin coach Angel Kalehuawehe said.
The Warriors had been 9-0-3 prior to this game, with their only losses coming from Lahainaluna. The Bears were 3-0-9; however, a win by the Bears would’ve pushed the two teams into another game against each other on Saturday to determine who would secure a spot at the state competition.
With the Warriors’ win, however, they went on to play the Maui Interscholastic League first seeded team, Lahainaluna, who were 12-0-0 going into the final game tonight. The Lunas earned the MIL Championship title, 78-16, and the Warriors stayed in second place.
“These girls are the most dedicated group I’ve had in a while,” Coach Aguirre said.
This season has been the best girl’s basketball season Kamehameha Maui has ever had with only three losses in the entire season, excluding the final MIL Division 1 tournament.
That sweeps their previous 2014-2015 season record of 6-0-8, and their 2013-2014 record of 2-0-12.
The Warriors will play in the state competition Feb. 9- 12 on Oʻahu at various locations.
“They should be okay, they’re a tough team,” Baldwin’s Coach Kalehuawehe said.
