'Iolani drops top-ranked Punahou
POSTED: Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Marlene Zeug is no stranger to the Punahou-'Iolani rivalry.
She just views it from a different perspective now.
Zeug, 'Iolani's first-year girls basketball coach, picked up a win over her alma mater last night as No. 6 'Iolani upset top-ranked Punahou 42-38 in a rematch of last year's Division I state championship.
The Raiders improved to 2-0 in Interscholastic League of Honolulu play by grinding out a tight win over the Buffanblu after opening the league season with an overtime win over Kamehameha on Saturday.
“;Every game is going to be like this,”; Zeug said. “;I'm going to lose my voice by the end of the first round (of the ILH season).”;
Both rosters are quite a bit younger than when the team's met in the finale of last season's state tournament, and a freshman helped lead the Raiders to the win last night.
'Iolani guard Kylie Maeda hit three 3-pointers and went 6-for-8 from the free-throw line in the second half on her way to a game-high 19 points. Lori Yamashita contributed nine points in Iolani's guard-dominated attack.
The Raiders' proficiency from the perimeter gave 'Iolani the lead in the first half and the Raiders were able to hold off Punahou from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter.
Five of 'Iolani's first eight field goals came from 3-point range, and the Raiders made 15 of 23 free-throw attempts, scoring their last 10 points from the stripe.
“;That was one of our keys. We wanted to shoot more free throws than Punahou (which went 10-for-20),”; said Zeug, whose first coaching experience on the varsity level came as a member of Mike Taylor's Buffanblu staff in 2002.
“;We're always going to attack and we've got the personnel to do it. Because we're a smaller team, if we can get to the line, we're going to take it.”;
Punahou's penchant for taking advantage of second chances kept the Buffanblu in the game early and nearly powered them to a comeback win. Forward Tressa Torres scored 12 points in the post, six coming on putbacks.
“;That's characteristic of what we're always going to (face),”; Zeug said. “;We're a smaller team and they took advantage of it. Mike had them prepared and he was ready to go and they punished us under the boards.”;
'Iolani led 19-15 at halftime, and although Punahou came back to tie the game three times in the second half the Buffanblu couldn't break into the lead.
Torres knotted the game at 35 with 1:12 left, hitting a free throw to cap a possession in which the Buffanblu grabbed four offensive rebounds.
But she missed the second attempt and 'Iolani's Georgette Lopes-Liutolo was fouled in the scramble for the rebound. Lopes-Liutolo then made the first of two shots to give 'Iolani the lead for good.
'Iolani stretched the lead to 39-35 when Janelle Nomura extended the drama by hitting a 3-pointer with 15.4 seconds to draw Punahou to within a point. But Maeda hit two more free throws and Nomura's 3-pointer to tie the game came up short.
“;It doesn't matter, early or late in the season, when you're unselfish and play for each other, great things happen, and that's what 'Iolani did and we didn't, flat out,”; Taylor said. “;Her team was ready, they were fired up, they were playing with confidence.”;
| Punahou (1-1) | 8 | 7 | 11 | 12 | — | 38 |
| 'Iolani (2-0) | 9 | 10 | 7 | 16 | — | 42 |
PUNAHOU—Kaylin Okuma 0, Rebecca Lau 5, Ali Santi 0, Julianne Nomura 2, Janet Li 2, Anna Merrifield 2, Brittnie Lau 2, Mysha Sataraka 2, Janelle Nomura 6, Ashley Feria 0, Jenny Ching 0, Julia Brand 1, Kysa Ludviksen 4, Tressa Torres 12.
“;IOLANI—Elysse Tom 0, Tami Konishi 0, Kylie Maeda 19, Lori Yamashita 9, Georgette Lopes-Liutolo 6, Kaitlyn Shikada 0, Kryn Masutani 0, Mahina Haina 2, Lahela Usui 4, Shauni Watanabe 0, Brittany Barnes 2.
3-point goals—2 (R. Lau, Ja. Nomura), Iolani 5 (Maeda 3, Yamashita, Lopes-Liutolo).
ILH Girls division II
Lanakila Baptist 31, La Pietra 27
Hanalani 47, Christian Academy 18
Hawaii Baptist 59, Punahou 39
High scorers—LBS: Erika Ellis 9, Crystal Sonson 9. LP: Cody Koa 9.
