GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM Maryknoll's Nicole Fu shot over Mid-Pacific's Yuki Sei yesterday. Fu scored a game-high 14 points in the 43-41 win.

Andres, Lee lift Spartans
in OT

For Cheryl Lee, it was a matter of staying focused in the clutch.

For Tammie Andres, it was simply a matter of redemption.

Andres fed Lee for a fastbreak layup as time expired in overtime, giving Maryknoll a 43-41 win over Mid-Pacific last night at McCabe Gym. "Coach said take it to the hole and get a layup," Lee said.

Maryknoll (16-5) advanced to the finals of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu tournament. The Spartans will play Iolani tomorrow night for the league's second and final state tournament berth.

Sophomore guard Nicole Fu scored 14 points, including 8-for-10 accuracy from the line, to lead the Spartans. They won despite shooting 43 percent from the field (15-for-35) and 57 percent from the line (12-for-21) while committing 16 turnovers.

Mid-Pac outrebounded Maryknoll 30-23, but shot just 26 percent from the field (13-for-49). Senior Jasmine Vieira scored 13 and Kristina Lin tallied 11 to lead the Owls. Meghan Laughlin added nine points and seven boards.

"Our girls deserve it, but so does Maryknoll," Mid-Pacific coach Byron Cheng said.

Mid-Pacific (8-11) closed the season with a brilliant performance, but could do little to stop Andres down the stretch.

Andres, a senior point guard, struggled at one point late in regulation. She missed two easy jump shots and the front end of a 1-and-1 as Mid-Pac rallied for a 34-31 lead on two free throws from reserve forward Melanie Wu with 31 seconds left.

"I tried to stay confident. We just needed to believe and execute," Andres said.

She then sank a 3-pointer from the top, in traffic, to tie the game with 14 seconds left. Laughlin's 16-footer from the right wing missed with 1 second to go in regulation.

Maryknoll, trying to find its rhythm after starting forward Jessica Akamine fouled out, went to the line and made seven of its 12 attempts in overtime. A free throw by center Sela Fisilau gave the Spartans a 39-38 lead with 1:12 left. Two more free throws by Andres gave her team a 41-38 lead with 19 seconds left.

Vieira then sank a 3-pointer from the top for Mid-Pacific, tying the game at 41 with 9 seconds to play. The Owls called timeout with 8 seconds left.

"It looked like our legs were going more than theirs, and I didn't want to go to another overtime, especially with Christina (Lin) out," Cheng said of the junior guard, who fouled out early in the extra period. "We felt we were still quick enough to get a steal and a layup."

With MPI in a fullcourt press, the Spartans broke through it, and Andres stopped at the foul line to feed Lee for a perfect layup as the final buzzer sounded.

"I'm devastated," said Cheng, MPI's first-year coach. "Give Maryknoll credit. Tammie stuck a tough 3-pointer in regulation. Cheryl knew what to do."

The Owls shot just 4-for-21 from the field, but trailed just 17-14 at halftime.

Maryknoll opened a 28-21 lead against MPI's 1-3-1 zone early in the fourth quarter.

The Spartans then switched out of their man-to-man and into a 2-3 matchup zone. Offensively, however, they hit a lull, committing six turnovers in a 3-minute span that included Akamine's disqualification.

The Owls chipped away and took a 32-31 lead on Laughlin's short baseline jumper with 1 minute to go.

At McCabe Gym

Mid-Pacific (3-8)	6	8	7	13	7	--	41
Maryknoll (7-4)	7	10	10	7	9	--	43

MID-PACIFIC--Keri Nakamura 1, Ciera Aiwohi 0, Yuki Sei 0, Jasmine Vieira 13, Meghan Laughlin 9, Kristina Lin 11, Sherice Ajifu 0, Melanie Wu 2, Crisi Nihipali 5.
MARYKNOLL--Nicole Fu 14, Kristie Watanabe 0, Jessica Akamine 3, Tammie Andres 9, Bowha Kang 2, Cheryl Lee 8, Sela Fisilau 7.
3-point goals -- Mid-Pacific 1 (Vieira), Maryknoll 1 (Andres).

Iolani 54, Kamehameha 40

Hennasea-Sue Tokumura scored 13 points and directed a nearly flawless Raiders offense to just four turnovers to advance into the title game. Keilyn Fujioka added 10 points and seven rebounds, and freshman Jamie Smith amassed 11 rebounds.

"They're definitely quick on defense, so we were really patient," Tokumura said. "Kamehameha is a really good team."

Analee Viena Lota scored 16 points and Tatriana Lorenzo tallied 14 to pace the Warriors (8-12).

The game was similar to the two teams' meeting at Iolani on April 22, when Kamehameha took a sizable lead early. Again, the third-ranked Raiders (17-6) needed a strong team effort to get past the Warriors.

A 7-2 run, including a layup by Tokumura, gave the Raiders a 41-33 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Raiders then worked deliberately, hitting 10 free throws in a row at one stretch.

"They have too much speed and ability for us. And I don't think they played their best game tonight," Kamehameha coach Clay Cockett said.

"We fought hard. From the beginning of the season to now, we've made tremendous strides."

At McCabe Gym

Kamehameha (3-9)	13	8	12	7	--	40
Iolani (9-2)	8	15	16	15	--	54

KAMEHAMEHA--Miki Nakamura 3, Johanna Sai 0, Analee Viena Lota 16, Tiana Abbley 0, Noelani Hoopii 0, Trixy Miller 0, Rhianna Farm 0, Tatriana Lorenzo 14, Danna Friedemann 0, Thais Lee 5, Nicole Pharr 0, Rhani Kaneaiakala 2.
IOLANI--Kaz Masutani 2, Chelsea Unemori 0, Hennasea-Sue Tokumura 13, Alana Matayoshi 8, Chanel Hirata 3, Marci Kang 4, Alana Wall 4, Jamie Smith 7, Meilin Akamu 3, Sarah Turgeon 0, Keilyn Fujioka 10.
3-point goals -- Iolani 3 (Tokumura, Hirata, Akamu).