Buffanblu set up rematch with Red Raiders

Punahou's Zayne Chong gets into the lane against Moanalua Thursday night in the Division I semifinals. John Lujan | SL

MANOA — For three and a half quarters Punahou looked like it would cruise into the title game, but the Buffanblu held off a big 28-point fourth quarter rally from Moanalua to win, 75-69, to cap the Snapple/HHSAA Division I Boys Basketball Championships semifinals at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The Buffanblu make it to the championship game for the third year in a row and face the Red Raiders in a rematch of last year's title game where Kahuku won, 70-55.

Moanalua, who was 2-5 on the season, won eight of their last nine games to get to the semifinal round and knocked out Oahu Interscholastic Association champion and second-seeded Kalaheo, 52-50 on Wednesday. Na Menehune face Maryknoll in the third place game.

Moanalua was able to get within four, 24-20, but Punahou scored 20 points and raced ahead with an 12-4 run and led, 36-24 at halftime.

Moanalua trailed 67-54 with over two minutes remaining, but brought the game within single digits with under a minute remaining. Caleb Casinas hit his fourth 3-pointer as Na Menehune trailed, 73-69 with 17 seconds remaining, but Zayne Chong hit free throws to close it out.

The Buffanblu outrebounded Na Menehune, 37-24 and Punahou as a team showed their unselfishness with 15 assists. Duke Clemens benefited from those passes to score 16 points and Chong finished with a team-high 22 points.

Casinas led Na Menehune with 21 points on 8-of-15 shooting, Geremy Robinson added 18 and Saige Pulu with 13 points. Robinson and Casinas combined to make seven of Moanalua's eight 3-pointers for the game.