Maryknoll bounces back to rally past Oregon City

Maryknoll used a furious second-half run to rally past Oregon City (Ore.) 62-49 to capture third place in the ‘Iolani Classic girls basketball tournament on Saturday night.

Senior point guard Rhianne Omori scored six of her 23 points down the stretch to spark Maryknoll (13-1). Senior center Isabella Cravens had a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds, along with three blocks.

The win came one day after a 62-39 loss to Southridge (Ore.), a team that beat Oregon City in the 6-A state championship game in their home state last season.

It was quite a turnaround for Maryknoll, Hawaii’s No. 1 team, against an Oregon powerhouse.

“I like the fact that they came back. When you play mainland teams, you have to be mentally ready for the intensity, physicality and the way they can push the ball,” Spartans coach Chico Furtado said.

Kylie Guelsdorf scored 17 points on a variety of quick drives and crafty moves. Kaari Guelsdorf added 13 points, including three treys. Brooke Bullock managed 12 points.

The game was tight for three quarters. There were four lead changes in the second quarter, when Kaari Guelsdorf hit a 3 and a follow shot to give her team a 31-30 advantage going into the break.

The Spartans got a running bank shot by Ysabelle Halemano to start the second half, and they never trailed again. Maryknoll switched from man defense to a 2-3 zone and it turned out to be kryptonite to the Pioneers, who shot 2-for-14 from the field in the third. Kylie Guelsdorf was scoreless in the stanza, and Cravens had nine of her boards in the quarter.

“They’d rather attack the bucket with their cuts and back screens. We had to go zone,” Furtado said.

The Pioneers were still within range when Kaari Guelsdorf hit a wing 3 to cut the lead to 44-38 early in the fourth quarter. With the 30-second shot clock in play, Maryknoll continued to be aggressive, and a 3-pointer by Georjette Stietzel opened the lead to 49-38 with 6:10 left.

“She hit that big 3. That group that came off the bench actually extended the lead,” Furtado said.

Oregon City got the lead down to seven points, the last time on a wing 3 by Kaari Guelsdorf with less than four minutes to go. Omori then seized command with two drives to the rim, and reserve center Rhyenne Filisi added two free throws as the Spartans opened their biggest lead, 60-47, with 1:38 remaining.

Maryknoll will meet Kamehameha on Friday in ILH play before departing for the Tarkanian Invitational in Las Vegas.

Centennial 53, Southridge 43

Justice Ethridge pumped in 25 points and point guard Aja Phoumiphat shot 6-for-6 at the free-throw line down the stretch as Nevada powerhouse Centennial outlasted Oregon’s Southridge to capture the ‘Iolani Classic girls tournament championship on Saturday night.

Eboni Walker, the Bulldogs’ versatile junior, was named the tourney most valuable player. She finished with nine points and was a force on the glass despite standing just 5-foot-11.

“I just want to play as hard as I can and work with my teammates,” Walker said.

Cameron Brink, Southridge’s 6-4 sophomore, had a team-high 15 points and Maggie Freeman added 14.

‘IOLANI PREP GIRLS CLASSIC
At ‘Iolani

Seventh place
>> ‘Iolani 65, Kalani 35
Consolation
>> Naha Senior (Okinawa, Japan) 47, Miramonte (Orinda, Calif.) 41
Third place
>> Maryknoll 62, Oregon City 59
Championship
>> Centennial (Las Vegas) 53, Southridge (Beaverton, Ore.) 43

ILH

Girls Varsity I
>> Sacred Hearts 73, Mid-Pacific 70
Leading scorers—SHA: D. Martinez 23, T. Medeiros 18, S. Mizusawa 13. MPI: B. Kovaloff 25, P. Antonio 19, P. Farhni 13.
>> Kamehameha 52, Punahou 42
Leading scorers—KSK: Kalina Obrey 21. Pun: Kamakani DeBlake 17.

Girls Varsity II
>> Le Jardin 33, Hanalani 32
Leading scorers—LeJ: Julia Fisher 19. Han: Keila Tsutsui 16.
>> St. Francis 64, University 32
Leading scorers—StF: Kealani Neves 23, Nani Santos 12, Kaimi Kalei 11. UHS: Tyra Goo Sun 9.
>> Damien 40, La Pietra 9
Leading scorers—DMS: K. Navas 7, I. Sagapolutele 7. LP: N. Ullrich 7.

Girls Varsity I-AA
>> Kamehameha 41, Punahou 33

Girls Varsity III
>> Christian Academy 48, St. Andrew’s 34
Leading scorers—CA: Khrystyna Kanahele 27, Hooiliesu Baptiste 10. StA: Sage Hottendorf 13, Maya Reed 10.

Boys JV I
>> ‘Iolani 55, Kamehameha-White 52

Girls JV I
>> St. Francis 32, Kamehameha-White 31

OIA WEST

Girls Varsity
>> Radford 33, Leilehua 24
Leading scorers—Rad: Salaua Dill 11. Leil: Kimberly Owens 7

JV
>> Radford 31, Leilehua 15

HIGH SCHOOL PRESEASON

Boys Varsity
>> Radford 56, Hanalani 55
>> Kalaheo 60, Nanakuli 38