HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kaimuki players and fans hoisted the Bulldogs' Keone Reyes after last night's OIA championship win over Kahuku.
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Reyes comes through for Kaimuki
The backup's clutch play denies Kahuku a repeat in the OIA
With regular starter Thomas Pyo out for the season after spraining his ankle in the semifinals Wednesday, backup forward Keone Reyes picked the biggest game of the year to play the best game of his life.
Reyes made the second of two free throws with 4 seconds left in overtime and finished with 18 points and 18 rebounds as No. 8 Kaimuki pulled off an incredible 44-43 victory over No. 6 Kahuku at McKinley last night to win the Oahu Interscholastic Association championship.
Both teams finished OIA competition at 12-2.
"Those last 15 seconds, I said to myself a star is going to be born tonight and it was going to be Keone," Bulldogs coach Kelly Grant said. "He's able to focus in crunch time and he came through."
With the game tied at 43, Kahuku stole the ball with 6 seconds left in overtime and called timeout to set up one final play. They attempted a lob near the basket for Okesene Ale Jr., but Reyes read the play and intercepted the ball as Ale crashed into him, forcing the referees to call a foul.
After the first free throw by Reyes rimmed out, he calmly swished the second for a one-point lead. Kahuku had one last chance to win, but Ale dribbled the ball off his knee as time expired.
"We just let everyone know who's No. 1," a jubilant Reyes said after the game. "When I was at the line, I knew I had no choice but to make it. Just make it."
While it was his free throw that gave the Bulldogs the lead, Grant credits his steal as the biggest play of the game.
"If Keone doesn't read that play they designed, it's two points for them," Grant said. "He read it beautifully and came up with the ball and made it count."
The Bulldogs used a triangle-and-two defense on Ale, hounding him with double and even triple teams all game long. The regular season scoring leader finished with 12 points to go along with five rebounds, four steals and two assists.
"We weren't trying to slow him down, we were trying to shut him out," Grant said. "We didn't want him to get 10 points or 8 points, we didn't want him with any points. We threw everything at him and he still scored double figures. That just shows what kind of player he is."
A free throw by Shaun Dela Calzada tied the game with 26 seconds to go in regulation. Kahuku held the ball for the last shot, but missed an easy layup inside. The Red Raiders got the rebound and Ale had a chance to tie it at the buzzer, but missed a runner that would have ended the game.
Daniel Colon scored eight of his 10 points in the second half for the Bulldogs, who won their first OIA title in 13 years.
"We knew we could win this and we had so much confidence," Reyes said. "We can enjoy this, but we know we have states coming up."
The win most likely means the Bulldogs will be seeded, thus earning a bye through the first day of the tournament.
"It's too bad we can't enjoy this for long because states is right around the corner," Grant said.
The Bulldogs defense frustrated Ale early, holding him to just four first-half points. He didn't score his first points until a pair of free throws with less than 3 minutes left in the first half, and his only field goal of the half came with under a minute to go.
But the Red Raiders opened the second half with two quick baskets to take their first lead of the game at 23-21. Neither team led by more than four points the rest of the way, paving the way for Reyes' late-game heroics.
Devin Unga had 10 points and seven rebounds and Iona Teriipaia nailed the game's only two 3-pointers and scored eight points for the Red Raiders, who were denied a second-straight OIA championship.
At McKinley H.S. gym
Kahuku (12-2) |
8 |
11 |
13 |
11 |
0 |
-- |
43
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Kaimuki (12-2) |
12 |
9 |
9 |
13 |
1 |
-- |
44 |
KAHUKU--Pele Soliai 4, Iona Teriipaia 8, Devin Unga 10, Shiloh Teo 1, Okesene Ale Jr. 12, Kevin Unga 6, Manti Teo 2, Jacob Kahawaii 0.
KAIMUKI--Daniel Colon 10, Alika Higa 0, Craig Cabudol 0, Shaun Dela Calzada 7, Shadrach Ramos Dias 0, Keone Reyes 18, Jarett Shiu 2, Beau Albrechtson 7.
3-point goals -- Kahuku 2 (Teriipaia 2).
No. 10 Kalaheo 64, Campbell 33
Tyler Caswell scored a game-high 25 points and added nine rebounds and two blocks as the Mustangs (11-4 in the OIA) finished third in the OIA tourney.
Tristan Sealy scored nine points for the Sabers (10-3), who never led.
Both teams looked sloppy at times in their final game before the state tournament, combining for 34 turnovers.
At McKinley H.S. gym
Campbell (10-3) |
9 |
4 |
6 |
14 |
-- |
33
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Kalaheo (11-4) |
11 |
11 |
14 |
28 |
-- |
64 |
CAMPBELL--Raymond Samante 0, Ryan Hayes 5, Mike Makinano 2, Matthew Samante 1, Michael McDonald 2, Jayden Delizo 7, Tristan Sealy 9, Walter Daniels 2, Terence Tafai 2, Sean Kelly 0, Dexter Vanhook 3.
KALAHEO--Elias Davis 4, Chris Tumaneng 3, Koa Siliga 9, Dante Price 0, Mana Guerreiro 6, Kahua Hollinger 4, Jacob Anderson 0, Marvin Judd 6, Cheynne Lishman 5, Jeff Whitworth 2, Chase Moses 0, Deaux Burns 0, Tyler Caswell 25.
3-point goals -- Campbell 1 (Delizo), Kalaheo 1 (Lishman).
Saint Louis earns spot in states
Cameron Bayne made two free throws with 39 seconds left in the third overtime last night, giving Saint Louis an 80-77 victory at McCabe Gym and a berth in next week's state boys high school basketball tournament.
Saint Louis improved to 10-4 for third place in the ILH of Honolulu, and Punahou fell to 9-5.
Jeremiah Masoli led the Crusaders with 35 points.
Miah Ostrowski led the Buffanblu with 24 points.
At McCabe Gym
St.L. (10-4) |
11 |
20 |
15 |
10 |
6 |
7 |
11 |
-- |
80
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Punahou (9-5) |
18 |
20 |
8 |
10 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
-- |
77 |
SAINT LOUIS--Rickkson Pacarro 0, Kulia Aiona 4, John Quindara 3, Scott Smith 5, Cameron Bayne 15, Joshua Yuen 7, Cole Shidaki 7, Jeremiah Masoli 35, Elliot Purcell 2, Jacob Barit 2.
PUNAHOU--Trenton Zane 0, Jeremiah Ostrowski 24, Danny Cho 8, Brandon Kapana 6, Kyle Whitford 0, Kimo Makaula 2, Freddie Hart 2, Kameron Steinhoff 13, Ted Hawkins 0, Spencer McLachlin 17, Kealii Frank 5.
3-point goals -- Saint Louis 6 (Masoli 4, Shidaki, Quindara), Punahou 2 (Ostrowski, McLachlin).
Star-Bulletin staff