Just like that, the Pearl City Chargers are within one win of making history.
Sabrina Angle pumped in 13 points, and Tiari Walker added 10 points and 10 rebounds to power 10th-ranked Pearl City to a 41-36 win over Roosevelt on Saturday night in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red girls basketball playoffs.
A vocal crowd of about 600 at the Chargers’ gym saw the home team remain unbeaten in the double-elimination tournament. Pearl City (17-4 overall, 12-1 OIA) earned some rest time with the victory, while Roosevelt will match up with Kaimuki on Tuesday in an elimination duel. Pearl City will host the winner of that game on Thursday with some cushion, thanks to its unblemished tourney mark.
A Pearl City loss on Thursday would push the tourney to a winner-take-all title game on Saturday.
"We’ll get to practice more on our defense. We won’t settle for less," said Walker, a 5-foot-9 senior.
For now, the Chargers can salivate at the prospect of winning the school’s first girls hoops league crown. Ever.
"We were ready to play, and we played good," Chargers coach Mike Morton said.
Roosevelt played its fourth game in nine days, rising out of the unseeded play-in round to make a Cinderella run possible.
"I don’t think Roosevelt was tired or anything," Morton noted. "We got tired. We don’t have subs at guard, but we’re all right."
Krystynn Naputi finished with six rebounds to help Pearl City rule the boards, 29-21. Twelve of the Chargers’ caroms were on the offensive glass.
"That’s what we want defensively — no second chances, no wide open 3s," Morton said.
The Chargers continued their roll through the OIA with a three-guard lineup and opportunistic fast-break buckets. Roosevelt made it easier on the hosts, shooting 1-for-12 from the field with six turnovers in the opening quarter against a smothering man-to-man defense.
Pearl City used a weave-pattern motion offense for guards Sabrina and Shawna Angle, and Adrienne Jean Sylva, employing Walker and Naputi as high-post staggered screeners. After Sabrina Angle drove for a bucket in traffic, the Chargers led 15-3 early in the second quarter.
"We know we want to take the air out of the ball, and if there’s a layup, there’s a layup. We can score often or it can be a delay offense. It depends on what the defense does."
At Pearl City
| Roosevelt (9-5) |
3 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
— |
36 |
| Pearl City (12-1) |
12 |
11 |
4 |
14 |
— |
41 |
ROOSEVELT–Breyana Dutro-Solomua 3, Starr Rivera 11, Kira Arruda 7, Sharice Kawakami 2, Chelsea Wong 1, Tatiana Mariano 10, Krystle Chung 2.
PEARL CITY–Sabrina Angle 13, Adrienne Jean Sylva 7, Michelle Wilke 0, Shawna Angle 4, Alexia Blalock 0, Krystynn Naputi 5, Dani Magana 2, Tiari Walker 10.
3-point goals–Roosevelt 3 (Rivera 2, Arruda), Pearl City none.
Kaimuki 50, Kaiser 39
Ashley Savusa scored 19 points, and Keana Paez added 12 as the Bulldogs pulled away in the fourth quarter to defeat the Cougars.
Kaiser’s Micaela Bitanga scored 10 points.
Kaimuki plays Roosevelt on Tuesday, with the winner facing Pearl City two days later.
At Kaimuki
| Kaiser (12-3) |
12 |
13 |
9 |
5 |
— |
39 |
| Kaimuki (14-1) |
9 |
15 |
12 |
14 |
— |
50 |
KAISER–Keara Ortega 0, Chandler Arce 8, Taylor Simeona 0, Kiana Nakai 0, Kylee Nihipali 0, Ashley Soong 4, Micaela Bitanga 10, Kayla Soong 0, Tiana Miyashiro 0, Alyssa Soong 0, Courtney Phillips 3, Darcey Goulsby 6, Kellie Sakai 8, Brandi Arita 0, Chantelle Arce 0.
KAIMUKI–Valerie Wilson 0, Canny Aikau 5, Nikki Vongprachanh 0, Keana Paez 12, Roxy Ramos-Dias 4, Dejah Faasoa 8, Julia Soares 0, Ashley Savusa 19, Krysta Yasui 2, Seplynn Aikau 0, Kawena Paez 0, Jennylynn Jesse 0.
3-point goals–Kaiser 1 (Bitanga). Kaimuki 5 (Savusa 2, Dejah Faasoa 2, C. Aikau).
Kahuku 44, Mililani 43
Leighlani Paselio hit a runner with 10 seconds to play to lift the Red Raiders over the Trojans in the OIA tournament’s fifth-place game.
Paselio scored 12 points, and Fia Tailele-Latu added 10 for Kahuku.
Kapili Amamalin and Taylor Babbitt each scored 12 points for Mililani, which missed two chances in the closing seconds.
Both teams will play in the state Division I tournament.
At Mililani
| Kahuku (12-4) |
10 |
11 |
15 |
8 |
— |
44 |
| Mililani (11-3) |
4 |
14 |
15 |
10 |
— |
43 |
KAHUKU–Delycia Seui-Matagi 0, Fia Tailele-Latu 10, Tyra Williams 4, Kalynn Latu 0, Pati Anae 4, Tisa Teo 0, Tihane Kamae 3, Leighlani Paselio 12, Mata Tonga 9, Tara Tailele 0, Dorothy Tito 2.
MILILANI–Jerika Bacuycuy 0, Kaylee Torres 7, Reiko Naniole 0, Kapili Amamalin 12, Taylor Babbitt 12, Kayla Wright 4, Summer Bolibol 0, Nayla Long 8, Jamie Uyki 0.
3-point goals–Kahuku 1 (Paselio). Mililani 2 (Babbitt 2).
ILH DIVISION I GIRLS
No. 4 Punahou 51, No. 2 ‘Iolani 38
Reina Furuya scored 19 points, and Mysha Sataraka added 12 points as the Buffanblu beat the Raiders, handing ‘Iolani its first league loss.
‘Iolani’s Kylie Maeda scored 13 points.
At Punahou
| ‘Iolani (11-1) |
4 |
15 |
11 |
8 |
— |
38 |
| Punahou (9-3) |
8 |
18 |
16 |
9 |
— |
51 |
‘IOLANI–Kylie Maeda 13, Pua Kahalehoe 4, Saphyre Rezentes 7, Klein Masutani 0, Katie Tom 4, Abrianna Johnson-Edwards 0, Sara Watanabe 0, Loxley Keala 0, Alyssa Liilii 1, Taimane Passi 1, Jade Botelho 8.
PUNAHOU–Keaupono Fey 2, Aviana Finn 0, Hailey Motooka 0, Tai Manu-Olevao 0, Reina Furuya 19, Demi Coolen 8, Asia Olivieri 0, Turner Wong 2, Kaitlyn Waki 4, Samantha Alakai 1, Mysha Sataraka 12, Sydney Fanoga 3.
3-point goals–‘Iolani 2 (Maeda 2). Punahou 3 (Furuya 3).
ILH DIVISION II GIRLS
University 44, ‘Iolani 22
Anuhea Memea scored 18 points, and Janae Rasmussen added 10 as the Jr. ‘Bows rolled against the Raiders.
‘Iolani’s Lauren Nikaido scored 11 points.
At Klum Gym
| ‘Iolani (4-7) |
6 |
6 |
7 |
3 |
— |
22 |
| University (11-2) |
15 |
10 |
8 |
11 |
— |
44 |
‘IOLANI–Kelly Cournoyer 0, Lauren Nikaido 11, Zoe Palmer 0, Paige Omura 7, Nicole Yokoyama 0, Steffanie Tanaka 0, Ashley Yoshioka 0, Alyssa Kogami 0, Liz Nomura 0, Renn Isobe 0, Cori Whang 0, Jasmine Chen 0, Michelle Maitland 2, Miki Sylva 2.
UNIVERSITY–Anuhea Memea 18, Meagan Mahiko 6, Markayisha Masani 0, Crystal Wang 2, Quirena Natividad 3, Kianalei Machida 3, Tiffany Ulep 0, Kassandra Sanchez 0, Kimiko Matsuda-Lawrence 2, Janae Rasmussen 10, Sue Moraga 0, Michelle Au 0, Brooke Kodama 0.
3-point goals–‘Iolani 4 (Nikaida 3, Omura). University none.
