[ HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ]
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kawika Hepa of Kamehameha shot over Damien's Kawika Lopez and Antonio Cerezo Jr.
Warriors tie ILH in knots
with win over MonarchsILH
Kamehameha put the Damien Revolution on hold last night.
The fifth-ranked Warriors pulled out a 60-43 victory over the host Monarchs in a key Interscholastic League of Honolulu basketball game.
The outcome left both teams at 3-2 in the league and fighting the state's top two teams -- undefeated Iolani and Punahou -- for ILH supremacy.
Kamehameha held off a late Damien charge by going 12-for-17 from the free-throw line down the stretch. Guard Michael Nii dropped in seven of eight in that span.
"It (free-throw shooting) was a huge difference from the past," Warriors coach Jesse Nakanishi said. "It (poor shooting from the line) was a major factor in losses and other close games. We put our emphasis on it in practice and they're coming around."
Damien, which is feeding off the energy of its football team's improbable run to the state Division II title game, trailed by 16 late in the third quarter, but kept battling to make it a 10-point game on Ranson DeCosta's 3-pointer and Keoni Steinhoff's two foul shots with 5:42 remaining.
The margin fluctuated between 10 and 14 points until the final minute. That's when Nii made four straight from the line and Ikaika Hardie added two more to finish the scoring, turning a 54-43 game into the 60-43 final.
"They (the Monarchs) fought to the end, and that's what I like in a team," said Kawika Hepa, the Warriors' high scorer with 16 points. "They showed a lot of character and had five guys coming at us under the basket.
"I think we're starting to believe in what the coaches want us to believe in, and if we continue doing that, we could go a long way."
Hepa took over where Waika Spencer began, pacing Kamehameha with nine second-half points. Spencer ran into foul trouble, but still scored 14, including eight in the first half.
"They're both very talented offensive players that can take over games," Nakanishi said.
The Warriors led 15-11 after one quarter and then went on a 13-4 run to start the second. Ikaika Shelton capped the run with four points and Kamehameha eventually took a 28-17 lead at the half.
Steinhoff, who had 10 points and played a key role in causing trouble for the Warriors forwards, missed a handful of inside shots that may have made it a closer game.
"Kamehameha is a good team and nothing went our way," he said. "We'll get 'em next time and we'll be prepared. We'll know what they do and how they do it."
DeCosta was a large factor in Damien sticking around as long as it did. He scored 13 of his game-high 18 points in the second half.
"We came out flat, let them build a lead and it was hard to fight back," said DeCosta, who fouled out with 1:23 to go. "We're definitely going to practice hard for the rest of the season. We want to win every single game in the second round. Our team goal is to contend for the ILH crown and get that guaranteed berth to the state tournament."
Spencer and Hepa both scored twice and Nii added two assists in Kamehameha's 10-4 run to start the third quarter. Hepa's 15-footer later in the period put the Warriors up 40-24, their biggest lead yet.
Nakanishi would have preferred keeping the lead in the 16-point range the rest of the way.
"We're still trying to develop that killer instinct," he said. "We haven't always had that."
And Hepa -- just like DeCosta -- is interested in the rematch.
"We'll be home and, hopefully, we can show them that we mean business," he said.
At Damien Memorial H.S. gym
KAMEHAMEHA--Ikaika Hardie 6, Keo Pacarro 3, Rykin Enos 0, Jacob Ho 2, Quincy Crowell 0, Michael Nii 7, Waika Spencer 14, Kapono Kuikahi 0, Ernie Vidinha 2, Ikaika Shelton 4, Gabriel Spencer 6, Kawika Hepa 16.
Kamehameha (3-2) 15 13 12 20 -- 60 Damien (3-2) 11 6 10 16 -- 43
DAMIEN--Ferd Paredes 0, Antonio Cerezo Jr. 6, Justin Casil 0, Kawika Lopez 7, Va'a Faualo 0, Ranson DeCosta 18, Fehi Sevelo 0, Soane Sevelo 0, Tevita Williams 0, Keoni Steinhoff 10, Sione Tau 0, Brandon Kahale 2.
3-point goals -- Kamehameha 2(Pacarro, Hepa), Damien 4 (DeCosta 2, Cerezo, Lopez).
No. 1 Iolani 77, Mid-Pacific 57
Derrick Low's 20 points paced No. 1 Iolani as the Raiders stayed undefeated by defeating the Owls.Todd Blankenship and Jon Yasuda each added 12 for the Raiders, as 11 players got into the scoring column for Iolani.
Chris Freshour's 17 points led Mid-Pacific, which managed to stay close with Iolani until a 21-10 third-quarter run by the Raiders, led by Low scoring nine of his 20 in the quarter, put the game out of reach.
At Iolani School gym
MID-PACIFIC--Chad Takabuki 2, Jordan Tani 3, Josh Mitchell 9, Travis Tyler 6, Chris Perry 5, Kyle Sakamoto 2, Ryan Chun 2, JD Lum 1, Kellen Hastie 4, Chris Freshour 17, Bryson Beirne 6.
Mid-Pacific (1-4) 12 16 10 19 -- 57 Iolani (5-0) 16 22 21 18 -- 77
IOLANI--Ryan Hirata 7, Vinny Nip 2, Todd Blankenship 12, Jon Yasuda 12, Derrick Low 20, Jon Takamura 3, Zach Tollefson 9, Kawika Shoji 0, Kyle Pape 4, Sean Carney 2, Wes Eberlin 4, James Street 2.
3-point goals -- Mid-Pacific 2 (Tani, Freshour), Iolani 3 (Hirata, Low, Tollefson).
No. 2 Punahou 47, University 44
Brenton Lee scored 19 points and Micah Ostrowski added 13 as the Buffanblu remained undefeated in the ILH after narrowly squeaking past the Junior 'Bows.The Buffanblu led 33-27 heading into the fourth quarter, but University made the game close behind David Johnson's 18 points. Scott Nishimoto added 11 for the Junior 'Bows.
The win by Punahou sets up a showdown for first place in the ILH with No. 1 Iolani on Friday at Iolani gym.
At Punahou H.S. gym
UNIVERSITY-- James Cabras 2, AJ Clark 0, John Duro 9, Lucion Hollyfield 2, David Johnson 18, Albert Li 0, Scott Nishimoto 11, Michael Tinerio 2, Jose Ver 0.
University (2-3) 10 9 8 17 -- 44 Punahou (5-0) 12 8 13 14 -- 47
PUNAHOU-- Micah Ostrowski 13, Storm Bridgewater 0, Daniel Cho 0, Reid Fowler 5, Scott Otake 4, Brenton Lee 19, Morgan Ellsworth 2, Spencer McLachlin 0, Kasey Ko 4, TJ Zabriskie 0.
3-point goals -- University 1 (Nishimoto), Punahou 0.
Saint Louis 57, Maryknoll 39
Keao Monteilh's 25 points led the Crusaders to their first win of the season in ILH play.Brandon Va'a added 11 points for the Crusaders, who started hot and built a 34-12 halftime lead.
Tyler Tsukazaki led Maryknoll with 18 points.
At Mid-Pacific Gym
SAINT LOUIS-- BJ Batts 1, Bo Ronduen 1, Keao Monteilh 25, Jason Allen 0, Ikaika Nakoa 3, Shaun Kauleinamoku 0, Ryan Bilhante 4, Kelii Zablan 0, Stephen Lei 2, Michael Perry 4, Bronson Abrigo 6, Brandon Va'a 11.
Saint Louis (1-4) 17 17 14 9 -- 57 Maryknoll (0-5) 7 5 18 9 -- 39
MARYKNOLL-- Tyler Tsukazaki 18, Tommy Nguyen 1, Edward Kawahara 6, Riley Tang 5, Jordan Durant 4, Melcar Condes 0, Chris Lum 5, Mike Toyama 0, Travis Yamane 0.
3-point goals -- Saint Louis 4 (Monteilh 4), Maryknoll 3 (Tsukazaki, Tang, Kawahara).
Friday's result
No. 5 Kamehameha 59, Mid-Pacific 43
KAMEHAMEHA -- Ikaika Hardie 7, Keo Pacarro 2, Rykin Enos 2, Michael Nii 8, Waika Spencer 16, Kapono Kuikahi 1, Ernie Vidinha 0, Ikaika Shelton 2, Gabriel Spencer 7, Kawika Hepa 14
Kamehameha (2-2) 15 11 13 20 -- 59 Mid-Pacific (1-3) 13 9 7 14 -- 43
MID-PACIFIC -- Josh Mitchell 7, Chris Perry 11, Kyle Sakamoto 0, Ryan Chun 6, JD Lum 0, Kellen Hastie 5, Chris Freshour 6, Bryson Beirne 8
3-pointers -- Kamehameha 0, Mid-Pacific 2 (Perry, Chun)
Division II
Yesterday
Hanalani 61, Iolani 50, OT
Hawaii Baptist 53, Redemption Academy 38
Kamehameha 41, Christian Academy 24
Punahou 38, Assets 23
Lutheran 46, Lanakila Baptist 17
Leading scorers--Han: Keoni Haole 21, Grant Cummins 12, Justin Suderman 11, James Williams 11. Iol: Alexander Why 17, Brandon Young 10. HBA: Will Stinton 16, Mark Stinton 12. RA: Pono Duvauchelle 15, Kaanoi Poouahi 14. Kam: Kaiana Tirrell 10. Caleb Dirnberger 8. Pun: Kainoa Johnson 6. Ast: Nick Castello 11. LH: Jeremy Young 12, Matthew Uffmann 12. LB: Zachary Hexamer 6Friday
Iolani 56, Assets 25
Word of Life 71, Lanakila Baptist 39
Kamehameha 58, Hanalani 46
Leading scorers -- Iol: Brandon Young 10. Ast: Nick Castello 13. WOL: Brashton Satele 14. LBS: Kiley Tanioka 9. Kam: Justin Padilla 21, Matthew Woody 13, Matthew Kam 10. Han: Keoni Haole 16, Grant Cummins 13, James Williams 11.JUNIOR VARSITY
Yesterday
Iolani 57, Kamehameha 37
Junior varsity Division II
Yesterday
Word of Life 47, Hawaii Baptist 44
Friday
Maryknoll 43, Word of Life 40
University 53, Mid-Pacific 34
