Maryknoll guard Kaleb Gilmore puts up a shot against Kamehameha. Greg Yamamoto | SL

×

020213__MayKam_0188.jpg - Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase this image
4x5 5x7 8x10 image download

Joshua Burnett scored 21 points, including five 3-pointers, and Maryknoll fought off host Kamehameha, 46-44, at Kekuhaupio Gym.

The Spartans (8-1) moved a half-game ahead of idle Punahou (7-1) in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I standings and assured themselves at least a second seed for the league's postseason tournament. It also keeps their hopes alive for a regular-season playoff with the Buffanblu should both finish tied for first. The regular season champ is assured a state berth.

Maryknoll finishes the regular season Wednesday at Saint Louis, while Punahou must travel twice next week to 'Iolani on Tuesday and to Kamehameha on Friday.

"This guarantees us a two seed," Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant said. "At least we get a (first-round) bye. With that, we win at least one game, we're in the state tournament. If Punahou's the first seed and they lose in the second round, then there's trouble there. This was an important game. We had to win this one."

The Warriors (5-4) hold on to third, but will have to rely on winning the postseason tournament for the league's second state berth.

"A win would've given us an outside chance of second, or even first, depends on how things fall through," Kamehameha coach Julian Nakanishi said. "It didn't work out for us, so it's back to practice Monday."

The Spartans weren't up to speed and it showed.

"We have a couple kids on our team who refused to tell me they were sick and injured and they wer not playing up to par on the floor," Grant said. "I have to get word from other players or other people on campus to let me know they're sick and they're injured. Danny Danbara was not 100 percent and Kaleb (Gilmore) is sick. But I think between them they had 15 tunovers."

Yet, Gilmore still had double-digit scoring with 10 points, including two 3-pointers. Even Danbara made a 3 for half of his six points.

But Burnett was on fire from the start and the reason the Spartans stayed within striking distance of the Warriors, who took a 25-23 lead into the half. Burnett had 14 points with three 3-pointers.

"We always talk to him about shot selection and I think he did a pretty good job on the shot selection today," Grant said.

"My teammates were finding me and I was open," Burnett said. "They were just going down for me tonight."

The second-half opened with Kamehameha missing two free throws, an issue that haunted the Warriors, who were 10 of 26 from the line.

Then the Spartans rained 3-pointers on the Warriors, beginning with Burnett to give his team a 26-25 lead and shortly after by Gilmore to open the lead to 29-25. Kamehameha would tie the game at 29 at 4:09, but the Spartans regained it at the free throw line when Tobias Schramm made two with 3:46 left. The Warriors missed their next two free throws and Burnett drained another 3 to give the Spaetans a 34-29 lead to end the third quarter.

Gilmore opened the fourth with his second 3, leaving Kamehameha to chase the rest of the way. Its inability to convert at the free throw line was costly, as it squandered chances to close the gap. Meanwhile, the Spartans were shooting 10 of 15 from the line.

"They shoot high percentage (field goals) and they shoot high perentage at the free throw line, too" Nakanishi said. "They're going to win a lot of games, especially with those two bigs (6-foot-9 Schramm and 6-5 Hyrum Harris) inside."

Makoa Camanse-Stevens led Kamehameha with 13 points, nine coming in the second half.