ILH BOYS BASKETBALL
Punahou holds off Kamehameha
They took Kamehameha's best shot and lived to fight another day.
Second-ranked Punahou eluded two potential game-winning 3-pointers in the final seconds to escape with a 46-44 win over No. 4 Kamehameha last night at Kekuhaupio Gym.
Punahou improved to 9-2 in league play and needs a win tonight over Maryknoll to finish in a tie for first place with Iolani (10-2). More importantly, the Buffanblu secured an automatic state tournament berth.
"There were some crazy bounces. We were fortunate," coach Dan Hale said. "I've seen more crazy stuff happen here than anywhere."
In the face of a raucous Warrior home crowd, the Buffanblu did it with a stingy defense that limited Kamehameha to 40-percent shooting (17-for-42). After being torched by Warriors sharpshooter Kawika Lyons for six treys in their previous meeting, the Buffanblu limited him to just two 3-pointers.
Kamehameha had its chance, though, after Punahou's Kameron Steinhoff missed the front of a 1-and-1 with 29 seconds to play. Down 46-44, Kamehameha set up Auwae DeRego at the top. He penetrated and kicked it out to Brandon Dumlao, who missed an open 3-pointer from the right wing.
"I thought that shot was going down, actually," Hale said.
Lyons grabbed the offensive rebound and dribbled out to the 3-point arc before giving the ball up to DeRego on the left wing as time wound down. DeRego, trapped by two defenders, heaved a desperation 3-point try at the buzzer and missed.
"I thought we had more time," said Lyons, who helped the Warriors rally with a key 3-pointer earlier in the fourth quarter. "That was bad on my part. I should've gone up with it."
Henry Cassiday came off the bench to score 11 points for Punahou (19-3 overall). Steinhoff also scored 11 points, and added six rebounds and four blocks. Manti Te'o scored 11 points and had five rebounds.
Punahou shot 49 percent (18-for-37) and had just nine turnovers.
Kamehameha (8-4) will enter the league's playoff tournament. The tourney winner will fly to the Big Island for a playoff for a final state tourney berth.
"The front door's closed. We gotta go through the back door now," Warriors coach Jesse Nakanishi said.
Lyons, DeRego and Pii Minns scored eight points apiece to lead Kamehameha, which lost to Punahou by 13 at the James Alegre Invitational, and by 11 two weeks ago.
Last night, the Warriors battled back from an early 14-6 deficit. Dumlao's tough scoop shot on the fly gave them a 22-21 lead going into halftime. Punahou, which had six offensive boards in the first quarter, had none in the second.
Punahou seized control of the game in the third quarter with an 11-2 run, including a pair of 15-foot jumpers by Cassiday. Kamehameha junked its 2-3 zone and climbed back into the game midway through the fourth quarter.
A trey by Dumlao cut the lead to four points, and Blake Viena's drive for a bucket brought Kamehameha to within 44-42 with 3 minutes to go.
After Toma went from halfcourt to the hoop for a tough bucket, Punahou led 46-42 with 1:14 left.
DeRego hit two foul shots with 56 seconds remaining to bring the Warriors within 46-44, and Toma traveled on the ensuing possession.
"We worked on our defense all week, so I wasn't too worried," Toma said.
Steinhoff then blocked a shot in the paint by Dumlao and rebounded. Then came his miss at the foul line.
"I just laughed at it 'cause I knew our 'D' would stop them," the 6-foot-5 senior said. "I told our guys, 'Don't let that faze us. Just finish the game.'"
At Kekuhaupio gym
Punahou (9-2) |
15 |
6 |
15 |
10 |
-- |
46 |
Kamehameha (8-4) |
10 |
12 |
10 |
12 |
-- |
44 |
PUNAHOU -- Dalton Hilliard 4, Robbie Toma 7, Shane Yoshiyama 0, Henry Cassiday 11, Manti Te'o 11, Kameron Steinhoff 11, Trevor Crabb 2.
KAMEHAMEHA -- Kauila Miller 0, Edmund Kamano 2, Jonathan Hew-Len 0, Kawika Lyons 8, Chaz Bajet 0, Brandon Dumlao 7, Pii Minns 8, Auwae DeRego 8, Shawn Bode 0, Blake Viena 6, Damien Termae-Kaehuaea 0, Kamakoa Downey-Jovanovich 5.
3-point goals -- Punahou 2 (Toma, Cassiday), Kamehameha 4 (Lyons 2, Dumlao, Minns).
No. 3 Iolani 55, No. 7 Saint Louis 51
Taylor Mounts scored 28 points to help the Raiders hold off the Crusaders. With the win, Iolani clinched one of the ILH's two automatic berths to the state tournament. Cole Shidaki led Saint Louis with 21.
At McCabe Gym
Iolani (10-2) |
15 |
9 |
16 |
15 |
-- |
55 |
Saint Louis (6-6) |
12 |
14 |
14 |
11 |
-- |
51 |
IOLANI -- Kela Marciel 1, Andrew Skalman 2, Nick Christman 0, Trevyn Tulonghari 2, Lionel Fujioka 0, Berton Wong 3, Bricen McCartney 9, Pablo Warner 8, Taylor Mounts 28, Jarrett Arakawa 2.
SAINT LOUIS -- Lucas Gonsalves 5, Corey Lau 0, Dean Viena 4, Kyle Gonzaga 0, Cole Shidaki 21, Marcus Umu 2, Michael Tuiloma 6, Micah McClinton 6, Jamison Miller 7, Moses Samia 0.
3-point goals -- Iolani 3 (McCartney 2, Wong), Saint Louis 1 (Gonsalves).
Mid-Pacific 49, Damien 43
Marcus Holyfield scored a game-high 20 points and Devon Takenaka added 16 as the Owls defeated the winless Monarchs.
Kaiakoili Lima scored 19 for Damien in a losing effort.
At Mid-Pacific Institute gym
Damien (0-12) |
11 |
6 |
14 |
12 |
-- |
43 |
Mid-Pacific (4-8) |
8 |
8 |
19 |
14 |
-- |
49 |
DAMIEN -- Nikko Romuar 5, Tim Smith 0, Anthony Tuitele 0, Kaiakoili Lima 19, Nick Cerny 0, Aminis Thompson 0, Austin Dawson 0, Tyler Tamayo 5, Mark Baay 5, Michael Memea 0, Breysen Lee 9.
MID-PACIFIC -- Jonathan Taniguchi 0, Sampson Won 5, Ryan Kurihara 2, Jamie Rivera 0, Marcus Holyfield 20, Dustyn Uchiyama 0, Brad Wu 2, Kellar Ellsworth 4, Devon Takenaka 16, Cameron Roberts 0, Matt Shibata 0, Silio Pale 0, Joshua Jamias 0.
3-point goals -- Damien 2 (Tamayo, Baay), Mid-Pacific none.