Saturday, February 20, 1999
By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Brandon Brooks of Punahou, named the state
tournament most valuable player, celebrates
the Buffanblu's title.
Puns are
the ones
Tourney MVP Brandon Brooks
By Cindy Luis
fuels a second-half comeback
that leads to an OT victory
Star-BulletinThe first law of holes: When in one, quit digging.
That's what Punahou did last night when the second-seeded Buffanblu found themselves down by four points late in the fourth quarter against No. 1 seed Kalaheo. Instead of panicking, Punahou kept the pressure on as well as stayed cool under the pressure.
The result was a 51-47 overtime victory that gave the Buffanblu (14-1) their eighth state championship and first since 1990. A crowd of 4,750 saw the Hawaiian Airlines/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Boys' Basketball Tournament title decided in overtime for the second straight year.
Last season, Kalaheo fell to Iolani in double overtime.
"I don't know if this one feels worse," said Mustangs' coach Pete Smith, whose team finished at 14-1. "You never want to lose in the state final. Last year, it was double overtime. This year, it was single. We're getting closer, I guess."
Senior Jessie Lam's putback of a missed free throw put Punahou ahead for good at 49-47 with 35 seconds left in overtime. Zach Stephens iced the win with two free throws in the final second.
"I was relieved when it went in," said Lam, who finished with seven points. "I (missed) a tip at the end of the game (in regulation) that would have won it. This one made up for that."
Kalaheo appeared to take control in the second quarter, leading by as many as 10 (28-18) with 2:47 left when Julian Sensley hit a 3-pointer. The junior forward had scored 13 by this point; he never scored again.
By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Punahou's Brandon Brooks drives on Kalaheo's
Julian Sensley in the state tournament title game.
It was Punahou's Brandon Brooks who picked up his game after halftime en route to being named the tournament MVP. Limited to four free throws and a late basket in the first half, Brooks scored six of his team's first 11 points after intermission to cut Kalaheo's nine-point lead to one midway through the third quarter.Still, the Mustangs continued to hold onto the lead and the hope of a third state championship. Damien Guerreiro hit a 3-pointer to put Kalaheo ahead, 43-39 with 2:42 left.
Punahou rallied, scoring four points in eight seconds on a free throw by Lam and Stephens' third 3-pointer to tie it at 43 with 2:10 remaining. Kalaheo went for the last shot, but Ryan Hogue tried to thread a pass through the key that slipped through Levon Freeman's hands with 48 seconds to go.
The Buffanblu then went for the final shot, missing a 5-footer then five tip-in chances before the buzzer. The Mustangs scored the first four points of overtime only to go scoreless the last 2:44, with Guerreiro, an 85-percent free-throw shooter, missing the front ends of two one-and-ones.
Brooks scored the last of his game-high 16 points on a basket over Sensley with 67 seconds to go to pull Punahou to within 47-46. After Brooks blocked a shot by Hogue, Stephens tied it at 47 by hitting his first free throw; Lam recycled the rebound into what would be the game winner.
Kalaheo's final play was designed to go to either Hogue inside or Freeman coming off a pick. Punahou swarmed Sensley, who took an off-balance 3-pointer that didn't fall with two seconds left.
"Going into overtime, I was having a little bit of doubt," said Brooks. "But then we made some baskets and we turned it on again. It was definitely a team effort."
It was the first state title for Punahou coach Alan Lum, who won two as a player for the Buffanblu in 1979 and '80.
"I had told our kids that I would gladly trade in my (state) medal so they could get one, but they won their own," said Lum. "My dream when I left Punahou (at graduation) was to come back and teach, and to come back as a coach and win one. It feels complete and I guess I have to find new goals.
"Kalaheo is a great team, great competitors. I think St. Louis took a lot out of them (in Thursday's semifinal). They're a championship team and it's unfortunate that one of us had to lose."
St. Louis 57, Waiakea 39: Junior Wong scored 17 points and the Crusaders (13-5) were in total control by halftime to earn third place.
Kyle Bartholomew led the Warriors (14-3) with 12 points and six rebounds.
David Tufaga added 16 points for the MIL champs. Everett Frye led Kalani with 18 points, finishing with 97 in four tournament games, while Lohi Pinho-McKeague added 14 points.
Keauli'i also grabbed nine rebounds, had three steals and was 8 of 13 from the floor. Iolani was led by Doug Jackson's 10 points.
Punahou 51, Kalaheo 47 (OT)
At Stan Sheriff Center
fgm fga ftm fta reb pf tp Blair Suzuki 1 5 0 0 3 4 2 Noah Wee 1 4 0 1 4 1 2 Ryan Saito 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 Zach Stephens 4 13 4 6 6 2 15 Jesse Lam 2 4 3 6 3 4 7 B. Turner-Gerlach 3 9 3 3 4 2 9 Brandon Brooks 6 12 4 4 4 3 16 Team 1 0 0 Totals 17 48 10 14 26 17 51
fgm fga ftm fta reb pf tp Damien Guerreiro 1 2 0 2 2 1 3 Eric Sandovahl 1 3 0 0 0 2 2 Reggie Bartley 1 2 0 0 0 1 3 Levon Freeman 4 8 2 3 2 3 11 Chris Hattori 0 0 1 2 3 3 1 Ryan Hogue 5 8 4 4 6 4 14 Andrew Braley 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Julien Sensley 5 13 0 0 7 4 13 K. Kuhau-Liftee 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 Team 4 Totals 17 36 7 11 26 18 47 Punahou 12 8 13 10 8--51 Kalaheo 11 18 7 7 4--473-point goals--Punahou (3-10) Stephens 3-8, Brooks 0-1, Suzuki 0-1, Kalaheo (6-14) Sensley 3-8, Bartley 1-2, Freeman 1-3.Assists--Punahou (6) Suzuki 2, Brooks 2, Kalaheo (8) Sandovahl 2, Freeman 2, Hatori 2. Turnovers--Punahou 10, Kalaheo 16. Steals--Punahou 9 (Brooks 5), Kalaheo 6 (Sensley 2). Blocked shots--Punahou 3 (Brooks 2), Kalaheo 6 (Sensley 2).
A--4,750. Officials: Clifford Rodrigues, Chuck Martin, Herbert Hew Len.
All-Tournament Team
Julian Sensley, Kalaheo; Zachary Stephens, Punahou; Everett Frye, Kalani; Kyle Bartholomew, Waiakea; Matt Vivas, St. Louis
MVP: Brandon Brooks, Punahou.
Waiakea 7 8 15 9--39 St. Louis 13 14 17 13--57Waiakea: Royce Yoshimura 0-2 0-0 0, Scott Akashi 0-0 0-0 0, Todd Yanagi 0-1 1-2 1, Jacob Cabreros 3-6 2-5 10, Kyle Bartholomew 4-10 4-6 12, Janaka Buchholz 0-1 0-0 0, Moki Kaolulo 2-5 0-0 4, Anthony Wise 0-2 0-0 0, Andrew Matsuda 1-2 0-0 2, Greg Kagawa 0-4 0-0 0, Matthew Hall 2-5 0-2 4, Evan Bartholomew 1-2 0-0 2, Myron Yoshizumi 2-8 0-0 4. Totals 15-48 7-15 39.St. Louis: Ka'ui Ho 0-2 0-0 0, Anthony Arceneaux 1-4 0-0 2, Timmy Chang 1-2 0-0 2, Joey Borja 0-6 2-2 2, Leslie Wong Jr. 7-13 2-2 17, Farries Chappell 0-0 0-0 0, Enoch McKeague 4-5 0-0 9, Kalvin Koverman 1-1 0-0 2, Keala Aiu 0-2 0-0 0, Matt Vivas 1-4 3-6 5, Sione Thompson 2-3 0-0 4, Frank Rivers 2-2 0-0 4, Joe Siofele 5-6 0-0 10. Totals 24-50 7-10 57.
3-point goals--Wai (2-19): Yoshimura 0-1, Yanagi 0-1, Cabreros 2-2, Buchholz 0-1, K. Bartholomew 0-3, Kaolulo 0-2, Wise 0-1, Matsuda 0-1, Kagawa 0-2, Hall 0-1, Yoshizumi 0-4. StL (2-18): Ho 0-2, Arceneaux 0-3, Borja 0-4, Wong 1-4, McKeague 1-2, Aiu 0-2, Vivas 0-1. Rebounds--Wai (24): K. Bartholomew 6. StL (35): Vivas, Arceneaux 5. Assists--Wai (3): Yoshizumi 2. StL (7): Thompson 2.
Kalani 11 12 21 17--61 Maui 13 19 19 11--62Kalani: Everett Frye 6-22 5-8 18, Ahren Kersting 0-1 0-0 0, Jason Lee 0-0 0-0 0, Keala-Joe Fujimori 0-1 0-0 0, Alohikea Pinho-McKeague 5-9 3-4 14, Cory Okimura 1-5 0-0 3, Justin Kobayashi 0-0 0-0 0, Brandon Ross 3-5 1-2 9, Russell Dement 0-1 0-0 0, Kila Kamakawiwo'ole 2-7 0-0 4, Malu Akiona 5-8 1-1 11, George Alefasion 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 23-60 10-15 61.Maui: Rey Bagorio 1-1 0-0 2, Manny Ballesteros 0-1 0-0 0, Dionisio Dante 0-0 0-0 0, Robert Collins 0-0 0-0 0, Sean Bersamin 9-14 0-0 19, Chris Daniels 3-8 4-5 10, Ikaika-Li Woods 4-13 3-4 11, David Tufaga 8-11 0-0 16, Malcom Siciak 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 27-51 7-9 62.
3-point goals--Kal (6-23): Frye 1-10, Kersting 0-1, Pinho-McKeague 2-3, Okimura 1-4, Ross 2-2, Kamakawiwo'ole 0-2, Akiona 0-1. Maui (1-4): Bersamin 1-3, Daniels 0-1. Rebounds--Kal (35): Ross 8. Maui (31): Woods 11. Assists--Kal (4): Frye 3. Maui (17): Woods 5.
Waianae 6 13 13 11--43 Iolani 7 6 15 6--34Waianae: Mike Autida 2-3 0-0 4, Nathaniel Donnell 2-8 0-0 5, Jonah Nunuha 0-4 3-3 3, Gerald Boyd 1-2 0-0 2, Ronald Brown 1-4 1-2 3, William Ballaran 0-0 0-0 0, William Broadus 2-7 0-0 4, Wilfredo Dinong 0-1 0-0 0, Wesley Lopes 0-0 0-0 0, Calvin Brown 1-2 0-0 2, Robert Hamili 0-3 0-0 0, Sam Keauli'i 8-13 4-6 20. Totals 17-47 8-11 43.Iolani: Ross Morimoto 0-1 0-0 0, Doug Jackson 5-15 0-2 10, Travis McGaughy 1-4 0-0 3, Kyle La Benz 0-0 0-0 0, Joe Igber 1-1 0-2 2, Janson Young 1-5 1-1 3, Bronson Melemai 2-5 0-0 6, Matt Fuller 3-5 0-0 6, Brant Yasaka 0-2 0-0 0, Joe Udell 0-0 0-0 0, Bobby Webster 0-0 0-0 0, Shane Ouchi 0-0 0-0 0, Donny Mateaki 0-1 0-0 0, Leroy Nicholas 0-0 0-0 0, Tyler McCready 1-1 0-0 2, Warner Au 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 15-41 1-5 34.
3-point goals--Wai (1-12): Autida 0-1, Donnell 1-6, Nunuha 0-2, R. Brown 0-1, Broadus 0-1, Hamili 0-1. Iol (3-14): Morimoto 0-1, Jackson 0-2, McGaughy 1-4, Young 0-1, Melemai 2-4, Yasaka 0-2. Rebounds--Wai (31): Keauli'i 9. Iol (23): Melemai 6. Assists--Wai (8): Donnell 3. Iol (3).
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