Punahou guard Chris Kobayashi prepares for a jumper against Santa Margarita. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Thu, Dec 29, 2016 @ Punahou

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Santa Margarita

66

Punahou

80

Final	1	2	3	4
Santa Margarita	14	15	18	19	66
Punahou (11-3, 26-6)	12	18	22	28	80

• Points
• Rebounds
• Assists

C. Kobayashi 25 pts  7 3pm

J. Kyman 17 pts  2 3pm

D. Clemens 7 tot  5 off  2 def

J. Kyman 8 tot  3 off  5 def

C. Mausolf 3 ast

M. Agbonkpolo 3 ast

MAKIKI – Chris Kobayashi made seven 3-pointers as Punahou shot 50 percent from beyond the arc to defeat Santa Margarita (Calif.) Thursday evening, 80-66, to advance to the championship game of the annual Punahou Basketball Invitational.

It looked like it would be a mismatch all night for the Eagles as they possessed players of 6-foot-8 and 6-foot-7 in their starting front court, but the Buffanblu played scrappy and got one of Santa Margarita's big men in foul trouble with senior Andreas Jackson spending most of the first half on the bench. Jackson was held to two points and obtained three fouls.

"We obviously didn't adjust well to him being out," Santa Margarita coach Jeff Reinert said of Jackson.

Both teams used a balance attack in the first quarter as six players from both sides scored to create a two-point lead for the Eagles after one quarter, 14-12.

The two teams battled back-and-forth as there were two ties and five lead changes in the second quarter alone. The Buffanblu would do most of their work from the charity strike as Punahou went 7-for-8 from the free throw line in the second stanza.

Sophomore Kaulana Makaula hit two free throws to tie the game at 21 at the 4:28 mark. Moments later Makaula would take the lead by hitting another free throw. Makaula finished with eight points and six rebounds.

With 1:09 remaining Santa Margarita's senior Kaden Rasheed hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to give the Eagles the lead 29-28. Rasheed finished the game with 11 points, two rebounds, and three steals.

Then in the dwindling seconds of the first half Punahou's junior Zayne Chong hit a pull up jumper from the left elbow just before the end of the half and gave the buffanblu the lead 30-29.

"We knew we needed to make some adjustments at the half. They're a really good team and we knew we had to come out fighting," said Punahou senior guard Kobayashi.

Fighting is exactly what both teams did as both teams went to their main players. Santa Margarita forward Jackson found success as he scored nine points in the third quarter alone which included a basket and the foul with 4:11 in the quarter to give Santa Margarita a 45-40 lead.

Punahou's Kobayashi answered with his sharp shooting from the outside as he poured in 12 points in the quarter including a 3-pointer from the left wing with 1:36 to go in the stanza that gave the Buffanblu the lead, 52-47, for the first time since the beginning of the second half.

"Chris is a senior now and he picks and choses his spots wisely. When he's efficient like that we're tough to beat," said Punahou head coach Darren Matsuda.

Punahou took that lead into the fourth quarter and never looked back as Kobayashi continued his hot shooting by hitting three 3-pointers in a row at one point during the final quarter. Kobayashi finished with 25 points, 7-for-11 from beyond the arc and four steals.

Jackson did his part by getting to the line but the double team collapsed on him and the Eagles were not able to find their offense. Then with 2:40 left in the game Jackson spun and fouled out on an offensive player control foul. Santa Margarita trailed by 12 and went into desperation mode and continued put the Buffanblu at the line where Punahou's guard Chong made 8-of-9 free throws to help ice the game. Chong finished with 18 points two 3-pointers, and the 8 made free throws.

"This is a big confidence booster to get us where we want to be," Kobayashi said. "We know we have Iolani next week and we hope these games get us ready for the season."

"This is probably the best field in about 10 years we've had in this tournament," said coach Matsuda. "There's about six really good teams especially from the mainland so to get a win against one of them is big for us."

The Eagles were led offensively by sophomore Jake Kyman's 17 points and eight rebounds.

"People think it's easy to come to Hawaii and get a win. I tell you it's not," said coach Reinert. "We probably got hung up on the beach tonight, but that's a loss that hopefully makes us better." The Eagles traveled from Rancho Santa Margarita, California and have enjoyed their trip to Hawaii as they got to go to the North Shore, explore Waikiki, and enjoyed each other's comradery.

Santa Margarita earned two wins in the tournament prior to their loss to the Buffanblu and will take on Sequoia High School at 6:30 p.m. in the 3^rd place game.

Punahou advances to play Bishop Hendricken Friday 8 p.m. at Punahou Gymnasium for the championship of the Punahou Invitational.