The Pearl City Lady Chargers rebounded on Friday from Wednesday's defeat to Farrington with a strong team performance in a 45-29 win against the visiting Roosevelt Rough Riders.
The win kept the Lady Chargers alive in the OIA Red Division Girls Varsity Basketball Championship Tournament as they traveled through the consolation bracket with their match up and win against the Lady Rough Riders. The win also secured Pearl City a spot in next month's HHSAA State Tournament.
The Lady Chargers continue to improve as they make their way through top ranked Red Eastern Division competition. Pearl City learned from their Wednesday loss to Farrington and was able to take that experience into Friday night's contest with Roosevelt.
"They hung with Farrington," said Lady Chargers head coach Mike Morton. We lost by ten. Five buckets, five possessions. I told them that was a great game for us. We played all the way to the end. Usually the West can't hang with the East. We hung with them."
Shawna Angle and Sabrina Angle are starting to gel on the court for the Lady Chargers in the post season. Shawna is getting stronger with each game after returning from a foot injury that kept her out during the regular season. They stepped up the pace on Friday, along with their teammates, against a tough Roosevelt team.
"It was a tough game. The girls buckled down and played hard," said Morton. I'm so proud of them. I just can't put words into it."
"It was just a battle. The girls never gave up, they stuck together," said Lady Chargers assistant coach Jay Sylva. "We knew that it was going to be hard because Roosevelt is well coached. They like to overplay so we told our girls to be ready for the trap. In the second half I think we did a good job in just balancing off the trap."
Pearl City ended the first period with a 9-3 lead over Roosevelt. The Rough Riders kept scoring in the second and third periods close. But with :40 seconds remaining in the third period, Shawna and Sabrina turned it up a notch, nailing back to back 3-point shots to put the Chargers up 28-20. The Chargers would pull away in the final period, outscoring the Rough Riders 17-9.
Shawna led the Lady Chargers with 13 points and one 3-pointer. Sabrina remained hot from the 3 point line, hitting 3 of 3 for 9 points. Adrienne Jean Sylva connected on one – 3 pointer and finished with 9 points for the ball game.
Roosevelt's Aimee Taniguchi put up 13 points for the Rough Riders.
The Pearl City Lady Chargers (9-6) will travel to Kaimuki High School to take on the Bulldogs (8-7) on Wednesday, January 19. Tip off is set for 6:00pm. The Bulldogs lost to Kahuku on Friday, 52-35.
Farrington (12-2) will host Kahuku (8-7) in the Championship bracket on Friday, January, 21 at 6:00pm. Farrington defeated West champion Kapolei, on the road Friday night in overtime, 59-53.
Kapolei (13-1) will travel to Kaiser (11-3) on Wednesday, January 19. Tip off is set for 6:00pm. Kaiser defeated Campbell on Friday, 77-61.
The Campbell Sabers and Roosevelt Rough Riders have been eliminated from the tournament. Kaiser joins Pearl City for the final two state berths.
@ Pearl City High School
Roosevelt (6-9) 3 11 6 9 —- 29
Pearl City (9-6) 9 12 7 17 —- 45
Roosevelt — Breyana Dutro-Solomua 3, Shana Kawakami 2, Kira Arruda 6, Abcde Furata-Harada 2, Aimee Taniguchi 13, Emalia Schuman 1, Krystle Chung 2, Anuhea Kanealii 2.
Pearl City — Sabrina Angle 9, Adrienne Jean Sylva 9, Shay Alterado 4, Shawna Angle 13, Sierra Mendiola 3, Dani Magana 3, Tiari Walker 3, Paulina Langi 1.
3-pointers — Roosevelt 1 (Breyana Dutro-Solomua). Pearl City 5 ( Sabrina Angle 3, Adrienne Jean Sylva, Shawna Angle).