ILH Boys Basketball
Maryknoll pulls away to clinch state berth


  



Tue, Jan 30, 2018 @ Kamehameha


Final 1 2 3 4  
Maryknoll (11-2, 28-6) 14 1262355
Kamehameha (7-5, 20-8) 6 13 14 1043
K. Victorino-Kato 9 pts  1 3pm  2/2 FTs
M. Kamata 18 pts  3 3pm  5/5 FTs
K. Young 6 tot  4 off  2 def
J. Cain 6 tot  2 off  4 def
J. Perez 4 ast

KAPALAMA HEIGHTS — Maryknoll's four-year state tournament drought is finally over.

The top-ranked Spartans scored 23 points in the fourth quarter and converted free throws down the stretch to spoil fourth-ranked Kamehameha's senior night, 55-43, in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I regular-season finale at Kekuhaupio Gymnasium.

After Iolani (4-6 ILH) upset Punahou (8-2 ILH) last Saturday, the Spartans controlled their own destiny and clinched a state tournament berth for the first time since 2014.

"Over the past seven years, we always had a difficult time playing over here. Greg (Tacon) does a great job with his kids and they have a lot of great seniors," said Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant.

"It's great. We had a chance last year, but we messed up in the end. This year, we really wanted to go to states. We really wanted to win and this was a big game for us," said Makoto Kamata.

Maryknoll improved to 9-1 in league play and secured a first-round bye in the ILH postseason tournament. The Spartans host the Iolani/Mid-Pacific winner at McKinley on Saturday.

The Warriors (6-4 ILH) start postseason play on Thursday, Feb. 1 and will take on Saint Louis (0-10 ILH). The winner of that game faces second-seeded Punahou at Damien.

Kamata scored a game-high 18 points, 12 came in the first half on three 3-pointers. Marcus Tobin added 10, eight points coming in the fourth, and Jaylen Cain added nine points and six rebounds.

Kamren Victorino-Kato (18.5 ppg) and Lele Kawaiaea (9.0 ppg) were ineligible for a five-game stretch and did not play in the first meeting on Jan. 16 where the Warriors lost, 50-39. Victorino-Kato led Kamehameha with nine points, while Kawaiaea added eight, including two triples and Laamea Frank chipped in eight with two 3's.

"They're a huge part in what we do. At times it worked well and at times, we stood around and watched Kamren. We can't do that and that puts too much responsibility on him. It's great to have them back and we're going to do everything we can to stay alive on Thursday," said Kamehameha coach Greg Tacon.

Kobe Young, who scored 20 points in the first meeting, was held in check with six points on 2-of-6 shooting. Jordyn Perez and Cain were called upon to slow down Kamehameha's dynamic duo.

"Jordyn and Jaylen were working their butts off on defense," added Kamata.

"We always try to defend those two guys (Young and Victorino-Kato). Lele was a big factor for them. We had Marcus move out a little bit more to defend it and it was a great win," Grant said on the defense.

Kamata made three of the Spartans' five 3's as Maryknoll shot a sizzling 5 of 10 (50 percent) from the three-point line in the first half, but shot 1 of 5 in the second to finish 6 of 15 (40 percent) for the game.

"We have great shooters on this team, but we always try to put the ball inside when we have Jaylen driving to the basket. When the 3-point shot presents itself, when Isiah (Gelacio) and Makoto's open, we try to hit those shots," said Grant.

"My teammates were trying to swing to me and I got open thanks to them," said Kamata.

Maryknoll ended the first quarter on a 9-3 run, but the Warriors cut the deficit down to three, 16-13, after Young's free throws. The Spartans responded with a 8-3 run after Kamata's third 3-pointer to make it, 24-16, and forced Tacon to call a timeout. Cain converted a putback to put Maryknoll up, 26-19, at intermission.

The Warriors raced out on a 9-2 run and tied the game at 28 after Victorino-Kato's spin-and-drive and Grant had to call a full timeout. Frank nailed a 3-pointer to give Kamehameha their first lead since the opening minute, 33-30, but Kalai Akaka answered with a baseline drive on the other end heading into the fourth.

"We had to find their shooters better than we did. They got those five 3's and that gave them separation. We had to believe and play together as a group," said Tacon, on second half adjustments.

The Warriors led by one, 35-34, after Kawaiaea's putback, but Gelacio made his second triple for a 37-35 lead. Christmas Togiai tied the game at 37 on a layup, but the Warriors went ice cold from the field. Maryknoll outscored Kamehameha, 18-6, in the final 5:36 with the Warriors making only two field goals in that stretch. Tobin, who scored eight in the fourth quarter, converted a lob from Perez for a 45-37 lead.

"One of our problems is we can go three or four minutes without scoring. When it got to 37-all. We hit a dry spell and next thing you know they're up by eight," said Tacon, on the momentum shift.

"Marcus (Tobin) also took a huge charge and I think it was a turning point for our game," added Grant.

Kamehameha got within six, 49-43, after Victorino-Kato's floater in the lane, but Maryknoll shot 10 of 12 (83.3 percent) from the free-throw line in the final 1:40 to put the game away.

The Spartans put in the effort in practice to improve their free-throw shooting in the past two seasons and finished the game shooting 13 of 19 (68.4 percent). The Warriors finished 6 of 8 (75 percent) from the charity stripe.

"We tried to see what we can do with some stalling. If they tried to double team us, then we tried to take the ball to the basket. But the free throws were big for us," said Grant, on the final stretch.



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].




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