Isaiah Lee is good at taking advice.
With Kalani’s coaching staff advising the team, particularly the seniors, to go out with a bang, the Falcons rode 16 first-quarter points by Lee en route to a 61-44 win over Campbell on Tuesday night.
Kalani (15-7 overall) advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I boys basketball playoffs and will visit the West’s unbeaten leader, Kapolei, today.
Lee finished with 33 points on 12-for-15 shooting from the field. He was 5-for-7 from the 3-point arc, finding himself open on passes from backcourt mate Ryan Higashionna and center Brandon Chung. Higashionna finished with seven assists and two steals.
“Our coach is always saying we’re a terrible team being passive-aggressive and we had to go out and take open shots. That’s what we did,” Lee said.
Chung was a powerhouse in the paint with 12 points and 13 rebounds as the Falcons finished their home schedule with six wins and no losses this season.
“We talked about not being so passive,” Falcons coach Everett Frye said. “Our last game we were up against Farrington, we had the same lead and we passed up shots we normally would shoot, what got us the lead, and that’s how (Farrington) came back. So we’re just reminding them over and over about constantly being aggressive. In the playoffs, you have to beat somebody. They’re not going to beat themselves at this point.”
In week one, Kalani beat Campbell 44-36 at the Matsumoto Law Group Black and Gold Classic.
“It was one of those days,” Sabers coach Wyatt Tau said. “We played (Kalani) in preseason and one thing that scared me was these guys play good team ball. It’s something we try to do.”
Mitchell Williams led Campbell with 13 points and added six rebounds. Kaimana Preza hustled for eight points and 11 boards. Robert Hutchinson tallied seven points, six steals, five rebounds and three assists.
The Sabers were ice cold from the field, 17-for-56 (31 percent) against Kalani’s matchup zone and occasional fullcourt pressure.
“We have such good kids. They work hard. They’re respectful 4.0 students,” Tau said. “But it doesn’t always translate to our games.”
The Falcons, who shot 50 percent from the field (19-for-38) and 3-point line (6-for-12), were on fire from the opening tip. Lee hit his first six shots. After he hit a foul-line jumper and a corner 3, Kalani led 18-5. Lee fed Chung for a layup, and after Lee sank his fourth 3-pointer of the first quarter to beat the buzzer, the home team had a 22-5 lead.
After Javan Montiho swished two free throws early in the second quarter, the Falcons led 27-5. Campbell chipped away and got within 15 late in the third quarter behind a fullcourt press. Chung scored inside and Lee canned his fifth trey of the game just before the buzzer. Kalani led 46-28 going into the final stanza.
AT KALANI
Campbell (13-15) 5 8 15 16 — 44
Kalani (15-7) 22 11 13 15 — 61
Campbell: Makana Ortiz 5, Mitchell Williams 13, Janus Gapusan 3, Robert Hutchinson 7, Titus Mokiao-Atimalala 0, Goddhey Jacalne 2, Kupono Akana 2, Byron Baker 4, Kaimana Preza 8.
Kalani: Zach Salas 0, Ryan Higashionna 4, Javan Montiho 7, Isaiah Lee 33, Logan Tanaka 2, Matt Saiki 0, Hunter Park 0, Steve Dole 2, Micah Kouchi 0, Landein Luke 0, Rylan Suzuki 1, Brandon Chung 12.
3-point goals: Campbell 4 (Williams 2, Gapusan, Hutchinson), Kalani 6 (Lee 5, Montiho).
