Senior basketball boys take parting shots
Photo by courtesy of Kahai Bustillos
Seniors Kaimana Gerard, Blayde Demello, Kahai Bustillos, Ronson Iniba, and Austin Peters played their final home game, Saturday, Jan. 27, followed by a celebration of their years in the program. The Maui Warriors won against the Maui High Sabers.
On Saturday, Jan. 27, the Kamehameha Warriors won against the Maui High Sabers. Close in score throughout the game, the Warriors pushed through and won 49-44, putting an air of celebration in their senior night festivities
During the final quarter of the game, the Maui High Sabers stayed three points behind the Warriors, and the tension rose, but captain Kahai Bustillos stayed positive.
“My feeling towards the end of the game was that we were going to win because we were in control the whole game. and we just needed to finish the deal,” he said.
In the game, both teams had players that fouled against the other team. In total, both Maui High and Kamehameha had 10 fouls on their teams. KSM’s guard and forward junior Kamaluokeakua Segundo ended up fouling out within the last quarter of the game.
“Some struggles we faced were foul trouble. Three of our five starters had four fouls to start the fourth quarter, and Kamalu ultimately fouled out with 3 minutes left in the game,” Bustillos said.
With seniors Kahai Busillos, Blayde Demello, Kaimana Gerard, Austin Peters and Ronson Iniba, the Warriors won the game.
Afterwards, the senior players were recognized in a “senior night” ceremony, a tradition after the last game played on the home court. Part of the tradition is that the seniors take one last wild shot and do one lay-up to symbolize the last time they’ll put the ball in the basket on a home game night.
In his senior speech, captain Austin Peters had some advice for the future generation of players: “You guys have all the talent in the world. Trust the system, and play for each other, and you guys will do great.”
Since then, the Maui Warriors played an away game against Lahainaluna, where they lost, but are still in the running to go to the 2018 Snapple Boys Basketball Championships as the second seed from the MIL if they can best their final opponents, Baldwin High School, tomorrow night. Kamehameha Maui has one win and one loss against the Bears for the season.
See the boys in their final season game at 7:00, Feb. 1, at Baldwin High School.
