ILH Boys Basketball
No. 4 Punahou rides hot start to 56-41 win over No. 9 Maryknoll


 

Tue, Feb 2, 2016 @ Punahou


Final 1 2 3 4  
Maryknoll (3-8, 20-10) 8 1510841
Punahou (9-6, 27-9) 20 13 8 1556
C. Arceneaux 12 pts  0/2 FTs
J. Cain 10 pts  4/6 FTs

MAKIKI — Cole Arceneaux scored a game-high 12 points to help Punahou to a 56-41 win over visiting Maryknoll before a crowd of about 150 at Hemmeter Fieldhouse Tuesday night.

The fourth-ranked Buffanblu led wire to wire to claim their fourth consecutive win to improve to 20-6 overall and 5-4 in the Division I standings of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.

The win helped Punahou keep pace with both Iolani and Kamehameha in a three-way tie for second behind league-leader Saint Louis (6-3).

All four of the Buffanblu's 3-pointers came on four consecutive first-quarter possessions that was part of a 14-4 run.

"For us, that is when we are in our best flow," Punahou coach Darren Matsuda said. "What we try to do is get in the flow of the game and today was a very choppy game. But that, for us, when we get into those runs, that flow really carries us. We are a pretty good shooting team and we just happened to get hot and it helped us out a lot."

Chris Kobayashi started the run with a trey from the left wing. Cole Mausolf then sandwiched a pair of 3-pointers around Hunter Lee's make from long range before Akahi Troske's outback stretched the Buffanblu lead to 18-7.

"We talk bout 212 degrees and that's when we hit our boiling point and that's when we went on our run," Arceneaux said. "After that we just stayed in our rhythm and the rest of the game was ours."

Troske finished with eight points, as did Jared Lum.

Punahou held a 20-8 lead after the first quarter and a 33-23 advantage at halftime.

Maryknoll cut the deficit to 39-32 late in the third quarter on a free throw by Hayato Kamata, but the Buffanblu went on a 12-3 run to separate by the midpoint of the fourth quarter.

Punahou got three straight layups, including back-to-back buckets by Arceaneaux to cap the run.

"I thought we came out pretty flat," Spartans coach Kelly Grant said. "Our bigs didn't do a good job of hedging like Punahou did off the screens coming around the corner, so they got some open looks at the 3-point line so I had to go with a smaller lineup, but they were hot tonight."

Jaylen Cain scored 10 points and Hayato Kamata and Isiah Gelacio added nine apiece for Maryknoll, which saw sophomore starting center Brian Washington exit the game after sustaining a head injury in the second quarter.

"That didn't help," Grant said. "It makes a big difference when he is on the floor with rebounding and shot blocking. With him on the floor the other guys are a little more comfortable knowing that they can put a little more pressure because if guys get by them, he's still back there to defend."

Arceneaux said the Buffanblu recognized the advantage it had with Washington out and seized control.

"He is a great player on the defensive and offensive side," Arceneaux said. "When you don't have a 6-5 guy playing in the paint your confidence goes up a lot because you don't have to worry about a shot blocker anymore. When he left the game I just thought I've got to attack the rim now since there's no shot blockers."

Grant said Washington could have returned, according to athletic trainers, but complained of blurred vision and was held out as a precaution.

The ninth-ranked Spartans fell to 20-8 overall and 3-6 in league play. They have now lost three of their last four games and remain tied with Mid-Pacific for fifth place.

Punahou avenged a 58-50 loss at Maryknoll on Jan. 16. It closes out the regular season at Saint Louis Thursday.

Maryknoll visits Iolani Thursday.



Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].




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