Win over Sacred Hearts shows Waimea basketball girls can compete

The small-town team with the big blue hearts is going to cause some trouble in the KIF this season.

Waimea got 15 points from sophomore Katelyn Constantino, 13 from freshman Ari Acosta and 12 from sophomore MaryJoy Angala in a 64-52 win over Sacred Hearts on Saturday at the Lancer Jamboree.

Sacred Hearts, now 9-3 overall, was the Division II state-tournament runner-up last season.

Waimea’s pressure defense and fast break were relentless. The Menehunes extended the lead to 11 in the second half before Sacred Hearts cut the margin to 47-43. The Lancers got no closer as Waimea kept running the break.

Nahenahe Alo led the Lancers with 15 points. KalysaMarie Ng injured an ankle late in the first half but returned in the second half and limped her way to 13 points.

“Sacred Hearts is good. The reason we entered this tournament is because of the defending (Division II) state champs, HBA, and the runner-up, Sacred Hearts. We feel that this would be a good gauge,” Waimea coach Natalie Mata said.

HBA is still elite. The Eagles (9-3) went 3-0 in the Lancer Jamboree, including a 58-19 win over Waimea on Friday night.

Waimea defeated La Pietra 61-21 on Thursday and finished the tournament 2-1. Waimea won just one game in league play last year, but this season’s young group is reminiscent of the squad that reached the state tournament in years past. The 2019 Menehune team beat Waipahu and Hawaii Prep before falling to eventual Division II state champion Hawaii Baptist in the semifinal round.

In ’20, Waimea was the third seed but lost to Hanalani in the quarterfinal round. Hanalani went on to win the D-II state crown.

“We’re a little inconsistent. Young for sure. We’re just trying to get their chemistry together, their togetherness and everything will fall into place,” Mata said. “I have a lot of quick girls on this team. I tell these girls all the time, this is probably my most talented team I’ve had. It’s kind of up to them how they’ll bring everything together.”

One thing Waimea does that isn’t commonplace in this era: They finish fast breaks as a team. While most teams let up during a one-on-one fast break, the Menehunes are hustling downcourt to turn those situations into two-on-one advantages.

“We try to implement running the floor because of the speed. We’re not going to outsize anybody in any league, so we’ve got to be able to run. That’s where all our points will come from, the fast break,” Mata said.

The KIF will be tough again, Kapaa and Kauai had success at Nanakuli’s Jesse Baugh Classic recently. Both teams have a nice blend of guards and bigs.

Lancer Jamboree (Sacred Hearts)

Thursday’s scores

At La Pietra gym (Thursday only)

Sacred Hearts 53. Kalani 29

> SHA: Nahenahe Alo 13. KLN: Alina Stephenson 10.

Hawaii Baptist 73, Kalaheo 20

> HBA: Careah Baitlon 15, Ally Low 15. KLH: Taysha Ukauka 6.

Waimea 61, La Pietra 21

> WAIM: Katelyn Constantino 22. LP: Nina Batacan 14.

Friday’s scores

At Sacred Hearts gym

Sacred Hearts 69, Kalaheo 18

> SHA: Nahenahe Alo 20, KalysaMarie Ng 16, Rory Redila 13. KLH: Tayshah Ukauka 7.

Kalani 48, La Pietra 19

Hawaii Baptist 58, Waimea 19

Saturday’s scores

At Sacred Hearts

Waimea 64, Sacred Hearts 52

> WAIM: Katelyn Constantino 15, Ari Acosta 13, MaryJoy Angala 12. SHA: Nahenahe Alo 15, KalysaMarie Ng 13.

Hawaii Baptist vs. Kalani, 3 pm

La Pietra vs. Kalaheo, 4:30 pm