Steinhoff steps up for the Buffanblu

Moanalua played tough, but couldn't match Punahou's rebounding and size

Miah Ostrowski and Spencer McLachlin garner most of the attention for the top-ranked Punahou basketball team, but junior Kameron Steinhoff is the primary reason the Buffanblu's state title hopes are still alive.

The 6-foot-4 Steinhoff scored a career-high 26 points and pulled down 13 rebounds and Ostrowski added 25 points on 9-for-22 shooting as the top-seeded Buffanblu escaped with a gritty 73-63 victory over Moanalua in the quarterfinals of the Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA Boys Basketball State Championships last night at McKinley.

STATE TOURNAMENT First two rounds at Radford and McKinley High Schools; all remaining games at Stan Sheriff Center. Seeds: 1. Punahou. 2. Kaimuki. 3. Kamehameha-Hawaii. 4. Kamehameha-Maui. TUESDAY Saint Louis 50, Campbell 30 Iolani 70, Baldwin 45 Kalaheo 47, Honokaa 37 Moanalua 73, Radford 71, OT YESTERDAY Punahou 73, Moanalua 63 Kalaheo 68, Kamehameha-Maui 39 Kaimuki 53, Saint Louis 51 Kamehameha-Hawaii 57, Iolani 54 TODAY Consolation Radford vs. Honoka'a, 10:45 a.m. Campbell vs. Baldwin, 12:30 p.m. Moanalua vs. Kamehameha-Maui, 2:15 p.m. Saint Louis vs. Iolani, 4 p.m. Championship Punahou vs. Kalaheo, 6 p.m. Kaimuki vs. Kamehameha-Hawaii, 8 p.m. TOMORROW Consolation: 12:30 p.m. Fifth place: 2:15 p.m. Third place: 4 p.m. Championship: 8 p.m.

The Buffanblu (12-1) play Kalaheo (14-3) in tonight's semifinal at 6 at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Steinhoff scored nine of his game-high 26 in the final quarter as the Buffanblu pulled away by outscoring Moanalua 12-4 in the final 3 minutes.

"We knew all we had to do is pound them inside and play an inside-outside game," Steinhoff said.

The Buffanblu outrebounded Na Menehune (12-6) 42-20 as McLachlin finished with a game-high 18 boards despite scoring just six points on 2-for-8 shooting. He didn't score a point in the first half.

"That was the kind of game Moanalua was playing against us," Punahou coach Dan Hale said. "We tried to get him the ball in the post but they were fighting him tough in there."

The victory meant a little extra to Hale. He coached at Moanalua last season before taking over for current Na Menehune coach Greg Tacon, who had Na Menehune thinking upset throughout the game.

The Buffanblu wasted no time taking advantage of their height advantage as they burst out to an early 8-2 lead, thanks in large part to six offensive rebounds in the first 3 minutes. Steinhoff recorded four of them and twice scored on easy putbacks.

Two 3-pointers by Ostrowski and another one from Kimo Makaula gave Punahou its biggest lead of the half at 23-12 when Moanalua started to find its rhythm on offense. Junior Josh Kure kept them in the game with three 3-pointers from the right corner. The last one began an 18-8 run that give Na Menehune a 34-33 halftime lead, despite the fact they were outrebounded 27-9.

"It was obvious that we just couldn't handle their size," Tacon said. "Momentum and enthusiasm carried us for so long, but (Punahou) is an amazing team and when push came to shove, we just didn't have the firepower to stay with them."

A 3-pointer by Jay Yoshizawa to open the second half gave Moanalua a four-point lead, but Ostrowski answered with a trey of his own. Na Menehune hit four from downtown in the period, but back-to-back 3s from Ostrowski and McLachlin to close the period gave Punahou a 51-48 advantage heading into the final 8 minutes.

"Spencer was able to get loose there at the end a little and that really was the difference," Hale said. "I'm just glad that game was on TV because it was phenomenal."

Three times in the quarter, Na Menehune pulled even with the Buffanblu, but couldn't overtake the lead. With the score tied at 57, Steinhoff scored on two key putbacks during a quick 8-2 run that gave the Buffanblu a six-point lead with 2:19 remaining. Punahou then went into stall mode and drained nine of 12 free throws down the stretch to hold on for the victory.

Kure finished with five 3-pointers and 17 points to lead Na Menehune, and Stevie Austin poured in 16 points and had eight steals.

At McKinley H.S. gym

Moanalua (12-6)	14	20	14	15	--	63
Punahou (12-1)	23	10	18	22	--	73

MOANALUA--Josh Kure 17, Roshawn Terry 6, Ryan Hua 10, Jay Yoshizawa 8, Stevie Austin 16, Kris Lazarou 2, Paul Wasada 0, Emanuel Vierra 0, Rob Munoz 0, Casey Schuler 4, Shawn Richey 0, Reece Racoma 0, AJ Kirkman 0, Manny Lusco 0, Matt Alombro 0.

PUNAHOU--Henry Cassiday 0, Kameron Steinhoff 26, Spencer McLachlin 6, Miah Ostrowski 25, Dalton Hilliard 7, Robert Toma 0, Kimo Makaula 7, Dane Okamura 0, Kyle Whitford 0, Ted Hawkins 0, Sean McFadden 0, Trevor Crabb 2.

3-point goals -- Moanalua 9 (Kure 5, Austin 2, Yoshizawa, Hua), Punahou 6 (Ostrowski 4, McLachlin, Makaula).

Kalaheo 68, Kamehameha-Maui 39

After an ugly opening-round victory against Honokaa, the Mustangs bounced back with an impressive rout of the Maui Interscholastic League champion Warriors.

Cheynne Lishman scored a game-high 17 points and Cliffton Pires added 14 points and eight rebounds as the Mustangs (14-3) dominated from the outset and led by as many as 37 at one point.

"We came out a lot more focused and played better," Kalaheo coach Chico Furtado said. "I was tough on the referees (Tuesday) night, but you have to give them credit tonight. They did an excellent job."

11 different Mustangs scored as Kalaheo led 49-16 after three quarters, and played its reserves in the final eight minutes. The Mustangs also were much more efficient at the free-throw line, knocking down 20 of 25 attempts.

Kaleookalani Demello was the lone Warriors in double figures with 10 points as Kamehameha-Maui (9-3) will face Moanalua in today's consolation game at 2:15 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center.

At McKinley H.S. gym

Kalaheo (14-3)	13	18	18	19	--	68
KS-Maui (9-3)	8	4	4	23	--	39

KALAHEO--Chase Moses 5, Cliffton Pires 14, Tyler Caswell 3, Cody vonAppen 0, Cheynne Lishman 17, Alika Kaanapu 6, Koa Siliga 5, Taylor Jay 4, Larry Sato 0, Keano Bruhn 5, Bruce Andrews 4, Aaron Fernandez 2, D,J. Chung 3.

KAMEHAMEHA-MAUI--Brian Pali 2, Erwin DeCoite 7, Kaiea Medeiros 4, Kaleookalani Demello 10, Travis Wong 4, Keaton Tam 0, Jordan Jenkins 0, Joshua Kong 0, Jeffery Oka 2, Kekoa Turbeville 7, Lindsey Kalaiwaa 0, Terani Richmond 3, Evan Garces 0, Kalae Camarillo 0.

3-point goals -- Kalaheo 4 (Lishman 3, Moses), Kamehameha-Maui 1 (Richmond).