Sage Tolentino (left) and Maryknoll turned back Damien while Kordel Ng (right) and Kamehameha rallied past Kahuku in Thursday's semifinals. ScoringLive photo illustration

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The return of Liko Soares to the lineup provided a boost for the Spartans after he did not play in Wednesday's quarterfinal win over Kamehameha-Hawaii. CJ Caraang | SL

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MANOA — It is only fitting that the final two teams left standing this boys basketball season are Maryknoll and Kamehameha.

The Spartans (14-3) and Warriors (15-0) been the only two squads to hold the top spot in the ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric Power Rankings — the former for the first four weeks of the year and the latter for the last six.

No. 2 Maryknoll is the defending state champion, while top-ranked Kamehameha is the reigning Interscholastic League of Honolulu title-holder.

The teams will cross paths for a fifth and final time Friday, when they meet in the title game of the Snapple/HHSAA Division I State Championships.

The Warriors swept all three ILH meetings this season, most recently a 38-29 win on Feb. 12 that clinched their first league crown in eight seasons.

The Spartans' lone win against Kamehameha came in the preseason, when they posted a 57-53 victory in the final of the Kaimuki Invitational on Dec. 14.

Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center and will follow the D2 state final between Kohala and Roosevelt at 5 p.m.

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The return of Liko Soares to the lineup provided a boost for the Spartans after he did not play in Wednesday's quarterfinal win over Kamehameha-Hawaii. CJ Caraang | SL    Purchase image

Sage Tolentino scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and grabbed seven total rebounds and Liko Soares chipped in 10 points to lead ILH runner-up Maryknoll to a 57-40 win over No. 3 Damien, the ILH's third-place finisher, in the early semifinal Thursday.

Maryknoll shot better than 50 percent from the field for the second consecutive night. It was 19 of 37 on field goals, including 13-of-19 shooting after halftime, and held the Monarchs (10-8) to 15-of-43 shooting from the field (34.9 percent), including 2 of 14 on 3-pointers.

Tolentino, a 7-foot sophomore center, made seven of his eight field goals attempts and converted 7 of 11 from the free-throw line. He also recorded two blocks and two steals and played all 32 minutes.

"That's the way he should be playing all the time. I mean, he's 7-feet tall, so we try to get him the ball and he's definitely one of our better free-throw shooters so when we get into one-and-one and two-(shot) foul situations, we try to get him the ball. I mean, it is closer to the rim, right?," Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant quipped.

Damien used an 11-0 run in the late first and early second quarters to take its largest lead of the game at 16-9. It held a 21-15 advantage following a Bryce Forbes drive-and-finish at the bucket 36 seconds into the second stanza.

However, Niko Robben answered with a 3-pointer to ignite a 19-0 run for the Spartans. Seven of their nine made field goals during that stretch were assisted, including Parker Grant's steal and coast-to-coast layup. Grant also had a another steal that led to a Reggie Eiland bucket in the run.

Kelly Grant, Parker's dad, credited his squad for its offensive efficiency during that stretch.

"We did a really good job executing everything that we called. We called like three or four different things and we ran two different plays that they haven't seen before, so they got a little off-kilt on what they're supposed to do defensively and we got some wide open looks," Grant said.

He also applauded his team's defensive focus, most notably junior guard Noah Furtado, who drew the assignment of guarding Hayden Bayudan one night after the Damien point guard scored a team-high 24 points in Wednesday's quarterfinal win over Moanalua.

Bayudan was limited to just eight points on 2-of-9 shooting by the Spartans.

"We just took Hayden out of the scenario. I mean, he runs everything, he runs the plays and Noah did a really good job defending him," Grant said. "When Hayden doesn't touch the ball, it's real difficult for them to score basket — that's what we felt as a coaching staff."

The Monarchs cut it to an 11-point game with 1:05 left to play on a straightaway 3-pointer by Forbes, but Maryknoll scored the final six points to close it out.

Forbes scored 11 of his team-high 18 points in the fourth quarter. He also had six rebounds and two steals. Jake Holtz added nine points and six rebounds in the loss.

"I tip my hat off to (Monarchs coach) Alvin (Stephenson) and their staff, they did a real good job," Grant said. "I know they went through some trials, but they stuck it together, we just were the better team today and that's just how it is sometimes; they could have easily beaten us today. It's not easy to beat a team like that four times."

The return of Soares, a wide-bodied, 6-foot-2 senior center, provided a boost for the Spartans. Soares did not play in Wednesday's quarterfinal win over Kamehameha-Hawaii.

"Torn meniscus, torn cartilage — that's a warrior right there," Grant said of Soares.

"Just his presence on the floor, it makes a big difference. When he's on the floor the kids are just super confident. They know they can control the boards, they know they can throw the ball into him because he seals his man real well, so it was just an overall good effort by everybody."

Soares was 5-of-7 shooting from the field in 26 minutes of action. He also had two assists, one rebound and one steal.

Parker Grant finished with nine points, seven rebounds, five assists and five steals and Robben chipped in nine points for the Spartans.

Damien and Kahuku will play for third place at 1 p.m. Friday.

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Warriors were led by Christmas Togiai's (left) and Kordel Ng's (right) combined 26-point effort. CJ Caraang | SL    Purchase image

Christmas Togiai scored 14 points, Kordel Ng 12 and Preston Ponteras 11 to rally ILH champion Kamehameha to a 48-39 win over Oahu Interscholastic Association runner-up Kahuku in the late semifinal Thursday.

The Warriors erased a four-point third-quarter deficit with an 11-0 run to turn back the Red Raiders (13-4) and secure their spot in Friday's title game.

Kamehameha shot just 16 of 46 from the field, but were 12 of 16 on free throws. It took just one attempt from the charity stripe through the first three quarters before going 11 of 15 in the final stanza to seal the win.

"We knew they were going to foul us at the end and we just knew we had to hit free throws," said Ng, a senior guard.

After they shot 1 of 12 from beyond the arc in the first half, the Warriors connected on 3 of 7 from distance after halftime.

Ponteras made a pair of treys and was 5 of 6 on free throws. He also had three rebounds, three steals and two assists. Early in the game, Ponteras went leaping over his team bench in pursuit of a loose ball. He was down on the arena floor and tended to by athletic trainers before exiting the game. However, Ponteras returned to the floor at the start of the second quarter.

"I think he just wanted to show out," Ng said of Ponteras. "He was going hard and I'm glad he's OK and I hope he doesn't do that again."

Kamehameha held a 19-17 after two quarters, but Kahuku went on an 8-0 run midway through the third quarter to pull ahead, 25-21. However, the Warriors had an answer with a Togiai pull-up 3-pointer and a Ponteras trey on consecutive possessions.

Togiai converted a three-point play with six seconds left in the period make it a 30-25 Kamehameha lead and the Red Raiders never got closer than four points the rest of the way.

"I think we were playing slow because we weren't hitting shots and once Chris hit that big 3 in the third quarter we started picking up on defense and I think that's what really got us going," Ng said.

Kahuku turned it over 20 times to just eight turnovers for Kamehameha.

Park was more than pleased with Kahuku 6-foot-9 center Oscar Cheng's final line of 11 points and 13 rebounds — only four of which came on the offensive glass.

"That's what we talked about early and again at halftime, keep him off the boards, do the best we can, but they're good players, they play hard and they hustle," Park said.

Robbie Sauvao scored all 10 of his points after halftime. He also had six rebounds, two assists and a steal in a losing effort. Lokana Enos added eight points and Shon Reid seven for the Red Raiders, who shot 15 of 38 from the field and 8 of 14 from the free-throw line.

"They're a physical team," Park said. "They've got good size, they play tough defense and so finding space to penetrate was tough. We didn't shoot real well in the first half, so if we don't score we can't get into our press and so we just had to battle. I thought we did a better job rebounding in the second half, that was big for us at halftime."

With 2:20 left in the game, Togiai went down to the court on a drive to the basket. He was helped off the court — with a noticeable limp — but checked back into the game at the 1:29 mark. After the game, however, Togiai had a large ice pack wrapped over his right knee.

Park had limited information Thursday night, but said that Togiai is scheduled to see a doctor Friday morning.

"Shoutout to Christmas; I hope he's OK," Ng said.

The Warriors are riding a state-best 15-game win streak, but Park is fully aware that their opponent Friday will be out for revenge.

Maryknoll's only losses in ILH play came at the hands of Kamehameha — by an average of just 6.7 points per game.

"They're tough and a great defensive team," Park said. "It's been a battle every time — even in summer league it's a one-possession game with them — so we expect the same thing tomorrow."