HHSAA Division II GIRLS BASKETBALL: #3 Kamehameha-Hawaii defeats Maryknoll, 56-39

By Kyle Sakamoto
 
Kamehameha-Hawaii’s Katelynne Paleka-Kennedy, a 6-foot-3 senior, came up big Thursday against Maryknoll.

Paleka-Kennedy had 17 points, 20 rebounds and five blocks as No. 3 seed Kamehameha-Hawaii beat Maryknoll, 56-39, in the semifinals of the state Division II girls basketball championships  at Farrington.

“It was a great effort,” Paleka-Kennedy said. “We play as one team. It was our best team win so far.”

Kamehameha-Hawaii will play the winner of Kapaa-Radford for the title Friday at 5 p.m. at the Blaisdell Arena.

Namele Naipo-Arsiga added 15 points and Chelsea Poe had 11 for Kamehameha-Hawaii, which scored the first 12 points of the game.

Paleka-Kennedy was immovable inside and also showed deft passing ability in the lane.

“The past couple of weeks we’ve been working on the high-low,” Paleka-Kennedy said. “Whenever someone double-teams me, there’s an open person. So I just need to find them.”

The Warriors led 25-9 with 2:30 left before halftime after a basket by Paleka-Kennedy off an assist from Bobbi Montibon.

Maryknoll scored the final seven points of the half to get within 25-19.

The Warriors made 10 of 13 free-throw attempts in the first half, while the Spartans made just 2 of 4.

Kamehameha-Hawaii took a 33-19 lead midway through the third, but Maryknoll scored seven in a row to get within six with a minute left in the period.

The Spartans were within 35-29 late in the third period, but the Warriors outscored them 14-4 over the first 6:35 of the fourth.

Paleka-Kennedy had eight points and nine rebounds in the fourth.

Maryknoll’s Ashley Agcaoili scored 12 points off the bench and Athena Adora grabbed eight rebounds.

Maryknoll will play the Kapaa/Radford loser for third at 11 a.m. Friday at the Neal Blaisdell Arena.