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Brandon Ching | ScoringLiveJanuary 25, 2023, 10:19pm
Wed, Jan 25, 2023 @ Maryknoll
Kya Kanoho scored a team-high 12 points and had the game-sealing block to help ninth-ranked Kamehameha-Kapalama knock out the top-ranked Spartans, 44-39, at the Maryknoll Community Center Wednesday.
"We're super proud of these girls. That was one our goals was to make it. It's so hard to get out of the ILH and so we're super proud they're going to be able to represent the ILH in the state tournament," Kamehameha coach Pua Straight said.
The Warriors (8-7) made a remarkable turnaround after they dropped five of their first six games to start the ILH Division I season, but won seven of their next nine to punch their ticket to the state tournament for the first time since 2019.
"In this game we started two freshmen, two sophomores, and one senior. It was a process. Watching film and taking care of little things, continuing to get the buy in. For them, we have good leadership. After losses, it's like they never hung their head and never stopped believing. We had a reset talk with them and they were still bought-in and still believed," Straight said.
"It was a long journey and I'm glad we stepped up at the right time against two great teams. We're a young team and I'm the only senior it took a lot of work because they barely have experience and I probably have the most experience. Just being able to lead and build them throughout the season to be ready for times like this," Kanoho added.
Kamehameha goes to Iolani on Thursday at 6 p.m. for the overall league championship and seeded state berth. The Warriors beat Damien (0-13), 59-55 Monday then defeated the Raiders on Tuesday, 46-34.
"All our shots were going in and our energy was just up. Our 3s weren't really going in but it's the energy. We had to be there for each other because during the season we had a history of keeping our head down. Tonight we kept it up and we played for each other and that's what really mattered," Kanoho said of the postseason push.
The Spartans (11-4) lost to Iolani, 41-36, in a tiebreaker game Monday and defeated Punahou (5-8) yesterday, 43-40, but end their season with the loss.
Taimane Faleafine-Auwae found Ciera Tugade-Agasiva for the bucket on the left block to bring Maryknoll within one, 40-39 with 30.0 seconds remaining. However, Tugade-Agasiva picked up her fifth foul that sent Nihoa Dunn to the line with 23.8 seconds to go. Dunn made the one-and-one free throws to put the Warriors up three.
Kanoho picked up and guarded Dylan Neves as she curled up to receive the ball from Faleafine-Auwae and she went under the screen to block her step-back 3-point attempt.
"Kya is probably the hardest worker I ever coached. She works so hard. She's a silently hard worker. We talked her to going into this, you worked too hard to one, not to enjoy this and two, make the most of it. She's been a huge leader," Straight said of Kanoho.
Makenzie Alapai secured the rebound and was fouled with 4.0 ticks left and made both free throws to end the game.
Alapai tallied 10 points and five rebounds, Dunn scored all of her eight in the fourth, and Rylee Paranada chipped in six for the Warriors.
Faleafine-Auwae finished with 13 points and three blocks and Tugade-Agasiva had 11 points, four boards, and three steals for the Spartans.
The Warriors trailed early on but tied the game at 10 after Rylee Paranada kicked it out to Alapai for a 3-pointer. Elisa Holakeituai's turnaround jumper gave Maryknoll a 12-10 lead going into the second.
Kamehameha opened the second quarter to lead, 20-13 on a 10-1 run capped by Kapomaikai Nakakura's floater that forced a Maryknoll timeout. Following the timeout, Isabella Arrisgado hit a 3-pointer and Faleafine-Auwae made consecutive buckets during Spartans' 7-0 run to tie the game at 20.
Alapai went 1-for-2 at the free throw line and Madison Guillermo hit a 3-pointer to give Maryknoll a 23-21 lead at halftime.
Dunn picked up her fourth foul at the 7:04 mark and sat for remainder of the third quarter. The Spartans extended the lead to six early on but the Warriors clawed back and Kanoho brought them within two after converting a 3-point play. Tugade-Agasiva accounted for the next three points before Kanoho swished her free throws to trail, 32-29 going into the fourth.
Neves made a layup in transition to open the fourth and Dunn scored her first points of the game at the 6:39 mark. Kanoho, who went 5-for-7 from the line, brought Kamehameha within one, 34-33. Faleafine-Auwae missed her first free throw attempt but could not shoot the second attempt and came out momentarily. Holakeituai made the free throw to make it, 35-33.
Alapai hit a 3-pointer from the left wing to reclaim the lead and Dunn scored from the left block to extend it to three.
"She was on the bench for so she was fresh. We wanted to see if we can get her more touches on the block knowing their post players were a little bit more winded. She's a special girl and she's finding her groove," Straight said.
Faleafine scored from inside with 1:28 left to trail, 38-37. Kamehameha played keep away until Faleafine-Auwae fouled Dunn with 48.5 left, who put the Warriors up three and never looked back.
"Nihoa is one we can trust. She's calm at the free throw line and we trust everyone at the free throw line. We work on free throws every practice and it's the mindset to be calm and not pressured," Kanoho said.
Kamehameha finished 13-for-17 (76.5 percent) from the free throw line.
Maryknoll shot 8-for-14 (57.1 percent) from the charity stripe.
Kamehameha split the season series with Maryknoll. The Spartans won 46-40 on Dec. 22 and 46-35 on Jan. 20. The Warriors won 38-36 on Jan. 11 and the decisive game tonight.
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