Clutch free throws help Punahou tip ‘Iolani for ILH title

When the moment of magnitude arrived for Hunter Hosoda, he responded the same way he did when a meniscus injury claimed much of his regular season.

Hosoda responded with success. The senior guard sank four consecutive free throws during the final 29.9 seconds to seal Punahou’s 45-40 victory over host ‘Iolani for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu boys basketball championship on Saturday.

‘Iolani (11-4) rallied from an 11-point deficit and was within 41-38 when Hosoda sank two foul shots to stretch the lead to five points. After Hugh Hogland hit a turnaround jump hook to cut the lead to three, Hosoda sank his last two foul shots with 13.6 seconds remaining. Hogland missed two free-throw attempts with 5.9 seconds left, ending ‘Iolani’s last hope.

The Buffanblu were clutch, but they were also outstanding defensively playing before a hostile, capacity crowd at Father Bray Athletic Complex. They got 17 points from senior guard Chris Kobayashi, but after he scored 11 in the first half and was face-guarded the rest of the night, it was the defensive tenacity of Punahou (11-3) that made the difference.

“We’re going into enemy territory with your brothers, you have to protect each other. Bring your best heart and your best mind. Stay focused and do your best,” said Punahou coach Darren Matsuda, whose teams have won two of the past three league crowns. “We didn’t really execute our game plan (on Friday).”

Just 24 hours after ‘Iolani (20-9 overall) won at Punahou 53-46 to claim the league tourney title and force a championship game with the regular-season victors, it was the visiting team that won again. The toll of the ILH postseason showed. Playing their sixth game in eight days, the Raiders shot just 50 percent from the free-throw line (11-for-22). Their standout center, Hogland, showed the fatigue most.

The 6-foot-9 senior made his first three free throws, then shot 3-for-11 at the stripe the rest of the game. Battling against burly Duke Clemens and Beau Whittaker in the post, Hogland finished with 16 points, five boards and three blocks. Justin Genovia added 12 points as ‘Iolani shot 54 percent from the field (13-for-24), but was outrebounded (18-17) and committed 10 turnovers.

It was the fifth meeting between the teams this season. Punahou had one slight advantage: by winning the straw pull before the pre-playoffs tiebreaker — three teams finished tied in first place — the Buffanblu wound up playing one fewer game over the eight-day stretch.

The final score on Saturday was the exact one the two teams played to in the 2016 state final, except that ‘Iolani won 45-40.

The Raiders wouldn’t accept rigor and fatigue as reasons or excuses.

“Fatigue plays a factor, but it doesn’t tell the story. We didn’t take them away from what they like to do,” ‘Iolani coach Dean Shimamoto said. “And we missed free throws.”

Those 11 missed foul shots were crucial, but not a shock. In the tourney title game on Friday at Punahou (24-5 overall), the Raiders were just 11-for-20 at the line. It also took Hosoda’s floor leadership, defense and clutch precision at the charity stripe. He took just two shots all night, both missed 3s, before stepping up in the final 29.9 seconds.

Kobayashi’s first 3, a pull-up jumper over Hogland from 24 feet out late in the first quarter, triggered an 18-8 run by the visitors. Kobayashi, running off screens, was 4-for-5 from deep as Punahou opened a 25-15 lead late in the second quarter.

The home team shut out the sharpshooter in the third stanza with Helam Baldomero face-guarding him. An 11-2 run, spurred by a tough layup in traffic, a pull-up jumper and a wing 3 by Genovia, brought ‘Iolani within 36-34 with 5:40 left to play.

Whittaker’s pump-fake layup and a corner 3 by Kobayashi opened the lead to 41-35 with 4:34 remaining.

From there, the Buffanblu held on for dear life, beating their arch rivals for the third time in five contests. They could meet one more time in the state tourney, which tips off on Monday. In the past nine years, the ILH runner-up has won the state crown twice.

At ‘Iolani

Punahou (11-3) 10 18 6 11 — 45

‘Iolani (11-4) 7 10 12 11 — 40

PUNAHOU—Cole Mausolf 2, Zayne Chong 5, Hunter Hosoda 4, Maninoa Tufono 5, Chris Kobayashi 17, Cortez Feria 0, Kaulana Makaula 2, Ke‘ala Martinson 0, Beau Whittaker 4, Duke Clemens 6.

‘IOLANI—Helam Baldomero 2, Kawika Lee 2, Frank Felix 0, Ryan Van Cantfort 2, Bailey Alabanza 5, Noah Bumanglag 0, Justin Genovia 12, Cole Hogland 1, Cameron Chang 0, Hugh Hogland 16.

3-point goals—Punahou 7 (Kobayashi 5, Chong, Tufono), ‘Iolani 3 (Genovia 2, Alabanza).

ILH DIVISION I-AA BOYS PLAYOFFS

Punahou 66, ‘Iolani 58

BIIF DIVISION I BOYS PLAYOFFS

Championship

Waiakea 68, Konawaena 66