Maryknoll's Marcus Tobin puts down a two-handed slam over Punahou's Kaulana Makaula in the fourth quarter. John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 1 of 88

Maryknoll assistant David Lum and senior Jordyn Perez share a moment after the Spartans defeated Punahou. Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 2 of 88

The Buffanblu bench and fans celebrate after Zayne Chong knocked down a 3-point shot. John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 3 of 88

Maryknoll's Jordyn Perez looks for a driving lane against Punahou in the second half. John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 4 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 5 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 6 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 7 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 8 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 9 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 10 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 11 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 12 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 13 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 14 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 15 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 16 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 17 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 18 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 19 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 20 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 21 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 22 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 23 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 24 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 25 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 26 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 27 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 28 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 29 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 30 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 31 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 32 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 33 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 34 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 35 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 36 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 37 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 38 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 39 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 40 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 41 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 42 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 43 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 44 of 88

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 45 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 46 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 47 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 48 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 49 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 50 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 51 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 52 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 53 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 54 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 55 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 56 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 57 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 58 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 59 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 60 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 61 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 62 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 63 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 64 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 65 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 66 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 67 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 68 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 69 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 70 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 71 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 72 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 73 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 74 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 75 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 76 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 77 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 78 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 79 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 80 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 81 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 82 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 83 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 84 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 85 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 86 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 87 of 88

John Lujan | SL

Purchase image 88 of 88

Wed, Feb 7, 2018 @ Maryknoll

---

Punahou

52

Maryknoll

57

Final	1	2	3	4
Punahou (10-3, 30-4)	5	6	20	21	52
Maryknoll (11-2, 28-6)	8	15	12	22	57

J. Cain 15 pts  1 3pm  6/8 FTs

H. Hosoda 14 pts  3 3pm  3/3 FTs

Maryknoll wasn't going to waste its second chance.

The Spartans built a 12-point halftime lead and held off a late Punahou surge to beat the Buffanblu, 57-52, in a winner-take-all playoff for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I title Wednesday night before a capacity crowd of 700 fans at the Alfred Wong Court at Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium.

Four players scored in double figures for the top-ranked Spartans as they captured their ninth league crown in Maryknoll's first ILH D1 championship win since 2013.

"This is unbelievable," said senior guard Jordyn Perez, who scored 11 points. "We've been dreaming about this since we were kids. This is like our best win ever."

Maryknoll, the ILH D1 first round winner, had a chance to win the league crown on Monday against Punahou, but suffered a slow start and never recovered from a 39-18 halftime deficit.

Wednesday was a different story.

The Spartans scored the first eight points and never looked back as they flipped the script to take a 23-11 lead at the break in the fourth meeting between the two teams this season.

"They killed us last game so we came with the mentality that this is our gym," said Perez.

Maryknoll assistant David Lum and senior Jordyn Perez share a moment after the Spartans defeated Punahou. Greg Yamamoto | SL    Purchase image

It was also the first time that the home team won a game in the season series between the two teams.

"We got to protect our house," added Perez. "This is our last game on our home court as seniors, we have to defend home court."

Defense ultimately was the difference in Maryknoll's first half surge. Punahou shot 4-for-23 in the first 16 minutes of play and trailed by as many as 15 points in the second quarter.

"When they (the Buffanblu) play good defense, the last time (on Monday) that equates to a lot of fast breaks and so forth (for them)," said Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant. When we played good defense like we did in that first half, we were getting a lot of breaks, a lot of looks at the basket."

"They came out hot and we couldn't really hit," added Punahou coach Darren Matsuda. "We were in a lull, we were in a little slump and we couldn't get ourselves out of it until the second half."

Still, Punahou wasn't going to go down that easy.

A 13-2 third quarter run capped by Zayne Chong's corner trey made it a 32-31 contest with 1:28 to play in the period, forcing a Maryknoll timeout.

Maryknoll's Jordyn Perez looks for a driving lane against Punahou in the second half.

×

_18020808_Punahou_Maryknoll_02072018_John_Lujan_jvl089-32.jpg - John Lujan | SL

"I had a lane and I just took it," said Perez. "I just saw a lane and I went for it."

After Perez completed the three-point play, Punahou tried to get it to Chong in the waning seconds. Chong gave it up after being covered at the wing, then got the ball back in the corner, but could not sink the equalizer as two Maryknoll defenders converged on him.

Jaylen Cain then sank two free throws with 1.8 left to play as the Spartans held off Punahou for the win.

"I'm proud of my kids," said Matsuda. "We fought back, we had a chance to win, that's all you want. That shows the character of this team. A lot of teams could have folded, but we kept on fighting and fighting, and we're fine. We're going to be fine. We just wanted to play good basketball right now going into states, and we're going to be fine."

Both teams already secured state berths into the Snapple D1 Basketball Championships, which begin next Monday. Punahou will host a first round game on Feb. 19 while the Spartans will enjoy a first round bye and take on their first opponent next Monday.