Punahou's Nick Velasquez takes the ball to the basket as Maryknoll's Joshua Burnett challenges. Evan Asato | SL

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Maryknoll's Kaleb Gilmore puts up a runner in between a host of Punahou defenders. Evan Asato | SL

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Punahou's Dayson Watanabe look for space to dribble against Maryknoll. Evan Asato | SL

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Punahou's Kupono Fey puts up a shot as Maryknoll's Tobias Schramm defends. Evan Asato | SL

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Sat, Jan 26, 2013 @ Punahou

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Maryknoll

41

Punahou

47

Final	1	2	3	4
Maryknoll (11-1, 25-3)	12	12	8	9	41
Punahou (8-4, 22-8)	8	17	9	13	47

K. Fey 13 pts  0/1 FTs

H. Harris 16 pts  0/0 FTs

In the battle of Wilder Avenue, Punahou avenged a loss to its neighboring rival Maryknoll, rallying late to hold off the Spartans, 47-41.

Maryknoll won the previous match up, 70-66 at Maryknoll.

"They're (Maryknoll) an outstanding team. They're well coached. they got height, speed, shooters. That was a really good win for us. I'm proud of my kids. I thought we like to play uptempo usually but they were beating us so we had to slow it down. I thought we did a good job today" said Punahou head coach Darren Matsuda.

The presence of Kupono Fey made a difference and he led the Buffanblu with 13 points. Fey did not play in the previous meeting because he was out with an illness.

"It was good, it wasn't like it was a perfect game," said Fey.

Nick Velasquez scored 11 points, hitting two crucial free throws late in the game.

"I didn't have the best game tonight. My teammates stepped up and picked me up and we played as a team tonight," said Velasquez.

Maryknoll's big men outrebounded Punahou. Hyrum Harris scored 16 points and added 11 rebounds. Tobias Schramm had 9 points and 8 rebounds.

"They're really, really physical. I thought me and the other guys made them work," said Fey.

In the first quarter, Nick Velasquez hit the opening three pointer. Jordan Tanuvasa passed it to Kupono Fey to go up, 5-0. Fey spun around and made a layup to put the Puns up, 7-4. Hyrum Harris scored 6 of his 16 points in first quarter. Maryknoll led, 12-8.

In the second quarter, Jordan Tanuvasa's driving layup brought the Buffanblu within 2, 12-10.

Maryknoll used an 8-2 run to go up, 20-12. Harris's layup from the fastbreak prompted Punahou to call time out.

"We should stay in the moment whether we were up or down. The kids did a good job of that, they're never out of the game or way ahead of the game," remarked Matsuda.

Punahou battled back to tie it up at 22 after three pointers from Dayson Watanabe and Jordan Tanuvasa.

Maryknoll's Danny Danbara drove it and found an open Harris in the paint and he laid it up to make it, 24-22.

Watanabe hit another three pointer to put the Buffanblu up 25-24 going into halftime.

The third quarter was tight as both teams traded baskets early.

Maryknoll took the lead, 26-25 after Tobias Schramm passed it to Harris for a layup. Punahou answered with a fastbreak layup when Tanuvasa threw a full court pass to a streaking Fey to go up, 27-26.

Punahou extended their lead to 3 after a put back layup by Velasquez, 29-26.

Schramm tied the game up at 30, after a pass from Tamamoko Green.

Watanabe put Punahou up, 34-32 after he blew by his defender and laid it up before the buzzer sounded.

In the fourth quarter, Punahou was able to score in transition as Fey made a fastbreak layup, 36-32.

Harris cleaned up Schramm's miss to bring Maryknoll within 2, 36-34.

Maryknoll's Kaleb Gillmore hit a three pointer to put the Spartans up by 1, 37-36.

However, Fey found Velasquez in transition and they went up, 38-37 and Maryknoll called timeout with 4:54 remaining in the quarter.

Maryknoll's Danbara found Schramm under the basket to go up, 39-38 and Punahou's Kupono Fey went 1-for-2 from the free throw line to tie the game at 39.

A basket from Maryknoll's Josh Burnett put the Spartans up, 41-39.

However, Fey answered and drove it in to tie the game at 41.

Burnett missed a three pointer and Punahou's Daniel Andrews scored on the other end to give Punahou a 2 point lead, 43-41 and Maryknoll called timeout.

Down the stretch, Maryknoll couldn't hit shots as Burnett could not put down an out-of-bounds lob. Schramm turned the ball over because there was miscommunication and he passed it out-of-bounds.

Nick Velasquez made two free throws to go up, 45-41.

"Hitting those two free throws helped us seal the game for us" said Velasquez.

Maryknoll resorted to fouling and Punahou sank their free throws to put the game away.

The win by the Buffanblu forces a tie for first place in the ILH, as both teams are 6-1 in league play.

Winning the ILH outright is important and Matsuda said, "Whoever wins, gets the automatic bid and we have to take one game at a time and just win every game."

A hard-earned victory like this is important to Punahou's young squad.

"That's what I really like about this team, they're growing up every game. A lot of first year players and one good thing about them is that they listen and they implement what they learn. It's a great experience working with these guys," said Matsuda.