Chris Kobayashi scored seven of his ten points in the fourth quarter to help the Buffanblu advance over visiting Maryknoll. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Tue, Feb 9, 2016 @ Punahou

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Maryknoll

58

Punahou

59

Final	1	2	3	4
Maryknoll (3-8, 20-10)	13	21	11	13	58
Punahou (9-6, 27-9)	16	14	15	14	59

• Points
• Rebounds
• Assists

C. Kobayashi 10 pts  3 3pm  1/2 FTs

H. Kamata 16 pts  3 3pm  3/4 FTs

C. Arceneaux 5 tot  3 off  2 def

B. Washington 6 tot  4 off  2 def

C. Arceneaux 4 ast

J. Perez 4 ast

Third-ranked Punahou got all it could handle and then some from eighth-ranked Maryknoll in a 59-58 nail biter at Hemmeter Fieldhouse.

Held in check for much of the first half, Chris Kobayashi scored seven of his ten points in the fourth quarter, including a triple from the right wing with 1:01 left in regulation, to inch the Buffanblu ahead 57-56.

"Jodyn (Perez) got the steal, but I was able to catch up with him and get the ball right back and pushed it up," said Kobayashi of the play. "I was open in one of my spots and just knocked it down."

But that was only the start of the drama.

Maryknoll had the advantage late, taking the lead on two huge free throws by Isiah Gelacio to edge Spartans back on top with 35.2 left on the clock. but Lum was fouled on a drive to the basket with 21.1 left and his two clutch makes lifted the Buffanblu back into the lead.

Jared Lum hit a pair of free throws with 6.3 left in regulation that ultimately proved to be the difference, then came up big a possession later on the glass.

The Spartans drew and foul and had a chance to tie or take the lead with just over seven seconds left to go and two attempts at the free throw line, but both shots missed, but forcing a foul on Lum, who secured the rebound.

Lum missed both attempts with 4.1 left in regulation, however, keeping the Spartans' hopes alive. Maryknoll advanced the ball over the timeline and called timeout with 1.3 seconds left, setting up the final play of the game.

"Since I missed both, any shot could have caused the game to go to the other side, but we made a huge defensive stop on the other side, believed in the system and it paid off," said Lum.

Hayato Kamata, who finished with a game-high 16 and had been hitting from the outside all evening, got the inbounds about 22 feet out, rose up over a Buffanblu defender and hoisted a shot from distance, but the attempted sailed well left of the rim to end it.

"We thought it was going to be a lob, but we knew we just had to put a hand up on any shot they would take and whatever happens, happens," said Lum, who defended Kamata on the last play of the game.

Maryknoll led 33-30 at the intermission, fueled in large part by a 15 point, six rebound performance by Brian Washington, who gave the Buffanblu fits on the block.

"Brian brought his 'A' game, he was playing really well," said Matsuda.

Punahou continued to chip away coming out of the half, getting good production in the post with Akahi Troske, particularly in the closing minutes of the third, with back-to-back buckets by the six-foot-five forward edged the Buffanblu ahead 38-37, the first lead for the home team since it led 29-28 late in the second half.

"Even though Troske doesn't start he's a big part of our team. We told him to attack Washington and not be afraid and he did just that," said Kobayashi.

Offensive balance for the Buffanblu certainly played a role, with three players in double-figures: Kobayashi, Lum and Zayne Chong, who provided some serious spark as part of the second platoon. Four other players score 6 points or more, including Cole Arceneaux, who chipped in five rebounds and four assists as well.

"Its been our system the whole year," said Kobayashi. "We kind of lost it in the middle of the year, but we picked it back up, and it brings a whole lot of energy off of the bench."