Kayman Lewis and Avery Pauole scored 24 points each as Team Blue outscored Team Red, 143-131, in the Damien Farias Senior Basketball Classic on Saturday night at Saint Louis’ Clarence T.C. Ching Center.
Lewis, of Roosevelt, hit four second-half 3-pointers as Blue pulled away. Pauole, a Baldwin center, scored 14 in the first half. Akila Indalecio (‘Iolani) had 18 points, and guards Jonny Philbrick (Kailua) and Jayden Kipapa (Mililani) pumped in 16 each.
Rondell Blenman-Villarreal (Campbell) and Fabian Camacho (Maryknoll) added 12 points apiece, and Pule Atualevao (Leilehua) chipped in 10. Blenman-Villarreal’s versatility as a 6-foot-3 point forward was on display, but the level of physicality was more like an NBA all-star game.
“The refs wouldn’t let us. They were calling everything. The plan now is college. I’m undecided,” said Blenman-Villarreal, who has a 3.6 grade-point average. “Probably in Arizona.”
Camacho took a large measure of joy in the camaraderie.
“It was fun. I talked to everybody. I made sure everybody was involved and having fun. I made sure nobody was left alone,” Camacho said. “We talked before the game, ‘We’re not going to lose this game. We’re winning.’ “
Po‘okela Aiu of Kamehameha-Maui drained seven treys and finished with 27 points to lead Team Red.
“It was just exciting to put out for Maui. We don’t get that much exposure, so I wanted to come out here with some of the best in the state, compete and go at it with those guys,” said Aiu, a 6-foot-2 wing. “I want to go to some JUCO and play basketball, football or volleyball.”
Seth Harmon (Kaiser) added 25 points and Mizah Carreira (Campbell) tallied 15.
“I’m just out here to have fun. I’m still playing volleyball (this spring), but I had a good time today,” said Harmon, who hopes to major in business administration at UH.
Malik Jackson (Campbell) scored 14, Leonard Ah You (Kahuku) and Justin Yap (Maryknoll) had 13 each, and Zelston Militante (Leilehua) and Creighton Ofsonka (Mililani) chipped in 10 apiece.
Militante won the 3-point contest before the game, which drew roughly 400 fans.
Wyatt Tau (Campbell) and Kelly Grant (Maryknoll) coached the victors.
“The best part was winning,” Tau said, just half kidding. “The best part was just talking stories with Dan (Hale) and talking stories with Kelly, just getting some insights about the season. They shared a lot of good things with me that can help what I’m trying to do. Kelly’s such a good man to talk to.”
Hale, who guided Saint Louis to its second state title in a row last week, let his squad have free rein.
“This game was about guys getting a chance to play with either who grew up playing with each other in club, a chance to play one last time in an environment where it was just fun. There was a little competitiveness out there, but they’re just having fun. After, guys are still hanging out, still talking, families. It’s a really special event.”
For many, college basketball is on the horizon. Militante is prepared to enroll at Shoreline Community College in Seattle, Wash. Ofsonka is looking at Division II schools in Florida and California.
Others, like Ah You and Brock Fonoimoana, have church missions and college football ahead, but they aren’t quite done with high school athletics. Ah You and Fonoimoana have track and field, and Ah You plans to go double busy with volleyball.
