Punahou girls hold off Kamehameha in OT, 53-46


Punahou's Mysha Sataraka puts up a jump shot against Kamehameha. Greg Yamamoto | SL
Reina Furuya scored a team-high 12 points -- including 7 of 8 free throw attempts in overtime -- as Punahou held off visiting Kamehameha, 53-46, in Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls basketball action last night.

The Buffanblu improved to 3-0 in league play heading into Saturday's 6 p.m. showdown with 'Iolani (3-0) at Punahou. Kamehameha fell to 1-2.

Punahou led 15-7 after one period, 27-13 at halftime and 36-22 entering the fourth quarter, only to see the Warriors scratch their way back and eventually tie it at 42-42 on Alohi Robins-Hardy's steal and short bank shot as time expired in regulation.

It was tied again at 46-46 in overtime after a layup by Robins-Hardy with 2:23 remaining, but Furuya broke the tie with a free throw 55 seconds later and Sydney Fanoga put back a missed free throw with 44 seconds left to make it 49-46.

After a short miss at the other end, Furuya sank all four of her free throw attempts down the stretch to seal the victory.

The Buffanblu jumped out to a 6-0 lead to start the game and finished the first period with a 7-2 run, then began the second quarter with a 9-3 spurt and closed the half with Kaitlyn Waki's 3-pointer five seconds before the buzzer.

Punahou pushed the lead to 38-22 after Coolen's baseline jumper with 1:26 remaining in the third period, but Kamehameha scored the first eight points of the fourth to close it to 38-30 after a bank shot by Robins-Hardy with 4:16 left.

Fanoga finally broke the string with a free throw 35 seconds later, but the Warriors answered with Lilia Maio's putback with 2:29 remaining and then Kealani Ryder's steal and layup with 57 seconds left.

Maio later sank two free throws to cut it to 41-38 with 18 ticks showing, and after Mysha Sataraka's free throw nudged the lead to 42-38 seven seconds later, Maio dropped in a runner to make it 42-40 and Kamehameha immediately called timeout with 0:04 showing.

The ensuing inbounds bounce pass was then knocked away in the key and Robins controlled it, spun and sank the game-tying bank shot as time expired.

"I'm so proud of our girls," said Warriors first-year coach Darold Imanaka. "They never quit and showed a lot of heart."

Maio finished with a game-high 21 points and Robins-Hardy added 12 points.