Kanoe Hanohano (24) led all scorers with 15 points in Iolani's 62-16 season-opening rout of Maui in the Black and Gold Classic. Brandon Ching

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Thu, Nov 16, 2023 @ McKinley

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Maui

16

Iolani

62

Final	1	2	3	4
Maui (6-7, 9-10)	3	4	5	4	16
Iolani (9-0, 23-2)	27	8	14	13	62

K. Hanohano 15 pts  1 3pm  4/6 FTs

D. Seegmiller 5 pts  3/4 FTs

KAKAAKO—Retool and reload.

In a rematch of last season's Division I state tournament quarterfinals, four-time defending state champion Iolani blitzed and raced past Maui, 62-16, to open their season in the Matsumoto Law Group McKinley Girls Basketball Black and Gold Classic at the Student Council Gymnasium.

After coming off the bench her sophomore and junior year, Kanoe Hanohano led the Raiders' (1-0) starters with 15 points, hit a 3-pointer, and went 4 for 6 from the free throw line.

"My role has definitely expanded. I definitely felt more pressure on this game because I've never actually started a varsity game before," Hanohano said.

Mia Frye scored all 12 of her points in the first half and outscored the entire Saber (0-1) team by halftime.

Freshman Justice Kekauoha made her varsity debut to score 10 points and Kylie Chong Kee added eight points and two triples off the bench.

No front court, no problem. The Raiders suited up eight players and all eight got into the score column.

Callie Pieper, a Third Team All-Hawaii selection, and reigning Division I Player of the Year Mele Sake did not play. Pieper had a volleyball commitment and Sake, who was recently cleared to play after recovering from an offseason knee injury, did not suit up.

"I think offensively during practice we realized we were going to be on the smaller side because Callie is at volleyball and Mele, she just got cleared actually. We really focused on defense during our practices and we knew that was going to help," Hanohano added.

In an all-guard starting lineup, ball movement and spacing was key that led to open shots and transition buckets.

"I think we have a good shooting team. The ball movement overall, we worked on zone offense and worked on the ball back and forth," Hanohano said.

Naiara Bal got the Sabers on the scoreboard off a steal early in the first quarter and Lyndee Sabas split a pair of free throws to trail, 9-3.

From there Iolani scored the next 18-straight points as Frye dropped back-to-back fast break layups. Chong Kee drained a pair of triples from the left wing and corner and Hailey Fernandez added another. Hanohano scored the next three points, including a feed from Frye to close out the first quarter, 27-3.

Frye's steals led to six of the team's eight quarter points as Iolani went up, 35-7 at intermission.

"I feel all our energy especially anytime when someone gets a steal or basket, we feed off each others' energy. Mia's beginning scores and layups was amazing," Hanohano said.

The Sabers scored all their second quarter points from the free throw line on 4-of-8 shooting.

Darsee Seegmiller led Maui with five points and the team made three field goals the entire game but converted 10 of their 16 free throw attempts.

The Raiders led by as much as 47 in the second half.

Iolani defeated Maui, 50-35 in the state tournament quarterfinal round in the same venue.

The Raiders take on Mililani on Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Moanalua on Saturday at 6 p.m.

The Sabers take on Kamehameha-Kapalama on Friday at 5 p.m. and Maryknoll at 12 noon on Saturday to close out the Classic.