Kamehameha's Fatu Sua-Godinet puts up a shot in the paint against Saint Louis. Sua-Godinet made the second free throw after missing the first with three seconds left to win it for the Warriors. Peter Caldwell | SL

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Tue, Feb 2, 2016 @ Kamehameha

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Saint Louis

70

Kamehameha

71

Final	1	2	3	4
Saint Louis (7-6, 21-8)	14	20	23	13	70
Kamehameha (8-6, 15-12)	10	19	24	18	71

K. Kahana 20 pts  8/8 FTs

T. Nichols 23 pts  5/15 FTs

KAPALAMA – There could be classic finish to the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I boys' basketball season. And that would be appropriate in this historic season.

The regular season will go down to the wire Thursday night after No. 5 Kamehameha squeezed past No. 3 Saint Louis, 71-70, Tuesday night in heart-thumping finish for the Kekuhaupio Gym crowd of about 400.

Fatu Sua-Godinet made his second free throw after missing his first with three seconds left to snap a 70-all game. The Warriors then watched Jett Tanuvasa miss a prayer shot from about 35 feet as the buzzer sounded to end the game. When the celebrating ended, the Warriors (5-4) pulled into a three-way tie for second and one game behind the first-place Crusaders (6-3). The logjam for second was created when Punahou and Iolani (both 5-4) beat Maryknoll and Mid-Pacific earlier Tuesday night.

The Crusaders can clinch the coveted regular-season crown by beating visiting Punahou Thursday night. Punahou can pull into a tie for first with a win. To add to the interest, if Kamehameha beats visiting Mid-Pacific and host Iolani beats Maryknoll – both games also are on Thursday – there could be a four-way tie for first and playoffs over the weekend to determine the regular-season champion, which gets one of the two ILH state berths, plus home court advantage throughout the single-elimination tournament that determines the league's second berth.

Regardless of outcomes of Thursday's games, this is already the most competitive ILH boys' season since 1938, the first time the league had at least five schools playing varsity basketball. Should MPI and/or Maryknoll finish with three wins each, it would be the most victories by last-place teams ever. But the most distinguishing achievement is worst differential from first to last would be a four-game separation.

Kamehameha won't be heading to chapel to pray for miracles before Thursday.

"You know what? It's a big win for us and we're not going to wait," Kamehameha coach Greg Tacon said. "Thursday's Thursday. We're playing Mid-Pac and we don't care about anything else. If the cards fall in our direction, then we'll wait for everybody and wait and see."

As for Tuesday's game, it was a knock down, drag-out affair between two physical teams. Leads changed 13 times. Saint Louis' largest lead was 10 in the second quarter. Kamehameha held a 61-57 lead with 5:59 left. Saint Louis owned a 68-67 lead with 1:47 left in the game after Tanuvasa made one of two free throws, but Peter Hanohano-Hashimoto's 3-pointer with 1:05 pulled the Warriors ahead, 70-68. Tristan Nichols tied the game on the Saints' ensuing possession with 45 seconds left.

On Kamehameha's ensuing inbounds, Saint Louis guard Jaymason Nunuha left the court with an apparent foot injury. When play resumed, the Warriors milked the clock down to 13 seconds before calling timeout. When play resumed, Sua-Godinet's tried a 10-foot jumper that missed, but drew a foul from Chris Sykes with three seconds left. After missing the first free throw, Saint Louis called time. When play resumed, Sua-Godinet made his second shot to put Kamehameha ahead. Nichols' inbounds pass went to Tanuvasa near midcourt. Tanuvasa dribbled up to about 35 feet and launched his desperation shot that missed before the buzzer went off.

The win snapped a two-game skid by the Warriors, who could have pulled into a tie for first with Saint Louis with Tuesday's win had they beat Punahou or Maryknoll last week. But the players did not let the past get into their heads.

"It was more of a mental game for us," Sua-Godinet said. "We had to come together as a team, just stay together through all the rough times. Thank god we pulled through tonight."

Winning by the free throw was sort of symbolic of the game. The Warriors were 23 of 29 from the line to Saint Louis' 20 of 35.

Kaeler Kahana, who led the Warriors with 20 points – 18 in the second half – was 8 for 8 from the line. Sua-Godinet was 7 of 10.

"There were times that they were physically overwhelming us," Tacon said of the Crusaders. "We did some really nice things, cut the lead, in fact we tied it and went up and then they did some physical things, being fast and explosive, and we just got caught flat-footed. But you know what? This is about making free throws and Kaeler, I can't say enough about him. The fact that you can knock down free throws, in our league, I think that's going to give you some possessions and some points. You gotta get points in every possession in our league. You just gotta."

After Saturday's dismal performance in the loss to Iolani, Crusaders' coach Allan Silva shook up the starting lineup by starting all reserves, who played the first five minutes before the usual starters were turned loose. The first half was close before Nichols' personal 7-0 run in the closing minute of the first half put Saint Louis ahead, 34-29 at the break.

Nichols was his monster self, grabbing 12 rebounds. But he suffered his fourth foul late in the third period and was pulled out. A bigger blow came with 3:31 left when Noa Purcell fouled out and Noah Gelacio made both free throws that gave Kamehameha a 63-62 lead.

"Noa Purcell is the middle of our offense," Silva said of Purcell's loss.

Isaac Slade-Matautia had 16 points for Saint Louis, scoring off two of his three steals.

Sua-Godinet had the task of defending Saint Louis guard Jaymason Nunuha, who had eight of his 17 points from free throws. Nunuha did not have a field goal in the first half and his only field goals were three 3-pointers, two coming when Sua-Godinet wasn't on the floor.

"We just have to come back Thursday and close it off with Punahou," Silva said.