Punahou's Zayne Chong puts up a fast break layup against Lahainaluna in the first half of an Division I semifinal game Thursday night. CJ Caraang | SL

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Thu, Feb 16, 2017 @ McKinley

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Lahainaluna

47

Punahou

54

Final	1	2	3	4
Lahainaluna (14-0, 24-2)	11	17	11	8	47
Punahou (11-3, 26-6)	17	7	15	15	54

• Points
• Rebounds
• Assists

Z. Chong 21 pts  3 3pm  6/7 FTs

C. Locke 16 pts  1 3pm  5/7 FTs

D. Clemens 8 tot  3 off  5 def

C. Locke 8 tot  3 off  5 def

C. Mausolf 2 ast

C. Palma 2 ast

KAKAAKO — Zayne Chong picked the right time to break out of his shooting slump.

The junior guard scored a career-high 21 points and made three of his team's six 3-pointers to help third-ranked Punahou rally past No. 4 Lahainaluna in the semifinals of the Snapple/HHSAA Division I Boys Basketball State Championships at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium Thursday night.

The second-seeded Buffanblu (13-3, 26-5) erased a four-point halftime deficit to move on to Friday's state final, where they will face top-seeded Kahuku, 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center in their second straight title game appearance.

Chong, who scored in double figures just once in the Buffanblu's previous seven contests, shot 6-for-10 from the field and made key free throws in the final period of play to help Punahou surge past the Lunas after both teams were tied, 39-all, after three quarters.

"Zayne needed to have this game, he was slumping a little bit so it was good for him to have a big game," Punahou coach Darren Matsuda said on Chong's performance.

The Buffanblu also held Lahainaluna without a made field goal in the fourth quarter until there was 58 seconds left in regulation to pull away from the Lunas.

"We're a pretty good defensive team and we pride ourselves on that for most of the season," said Matsuda. "We know to get here or to win a championship, you have to play good ‘D.'"

Lahainaluna, who played in its first semifinal game in 60 years, suffered its first loss of the year and dropped to 15-1 and 23-2 overall.

"We made history, and that's something to be proud of," said Lahainaluna coach Jason Justus. "Unfortunately we came up short tonight."

The Lunas were on the wrong side of the scoreboard when the night was over, but were in control for much of the contest. After incurring a seven-point deficit to start the game, Lahainaluna came from behind to take a 28-24 lead into the break.

Things looked even more bleak for the Buffanblu when Lahainaluna got two quick baskets to start the third quarter to double its lead, 32-24.

"We got into a little bit of a lull where we're hoping not to lose instead of trying to win, and you can't play like that especially against a team like this," said Matsuda.

Then Punahou started to take the fight to the Lunas.

Chong knocked down a triple to stop the bleeding and Cole Mausolf completed a three-point play to bring the Buffanblu within two midway through the quarter. Iverson Turno hit on a baseline jumper to put the Lunas ahead by two points, but Mausolf answered with a transition bucket to make the score 34-32, forcing a Lahainaluna timeout.

Disaster struck for the Lunas out of the huddle as they were whistled for a technical for having six men on the court. Chris Kobayashi sunk both technical free throws to make tie the game and Chong followed with a three-point play to give Punahou a 37-34 lead.

"It was a big game and we came in a little scared, but at halftime we turned it up a little and got the right mindset on," said Chong.

Lahainaluna responded with Carver Locke's straightaway triple and was able to keep the score tied heading into the fourth quarter, but momentum had swung onto Punahou's side.

The Buffanblu scored the first six points of the final stanza to take a 45-39 lead two minutes into the frame. After Tavaki Falatea split a pair at the line, Chong knocked down a triple from the left wing, thanks to a screen from Duke Clemens, to give Punahou its largest lead of the game, 48-40.

From there the Buffanblu were able to manage the game down the stretch, playing good defense while making free throws to keep Lahainaluna at bay.

Justus said the difference in the fourth quarter came down to effort, primarily on the boards as Punahou outrebounded Lahaainluna, 27 to 19.

"I tell my kids that the little things in September are little, (but) in February they're big. If we don't take care of the little things in September, they become really big and it was one of the big things tonight. The rebounding was a big thing. We got outrebounded, we got out hustled and they're (Punahou) a great team."

Kobayashi and Mausolf joined Chong in double figures with 13 and 11 points respectively.

The Lunas were led by Locke's 16 points and eight rebounds and Jeremi Santos' 15 points on three treys.