Punahou forces title game

Tyra Moe is in survival mode and seems to like it.

The 6-foot-1 senior had 21 points and 11 rebounds as Punahou edged Maryknoll 52-48 to win the ILH girls basketball playoff tournament and force a winner-take-all championship game.

A pensive crowd of about 500 at McCabe Gymnasium saw Moe score 10 points in the first quarter, including a straightaway 3, to set the tone for the Buffanblu (16-8, 12-2 ILH). Moe’s plans to celebrate at the Punahou Carnival were shelved, though.

“There is no Carnival tonight. They can get food, but that’s it,” Buffanblu coach Liz Kam said. “We need them rested and ready for tomorrow. Our coaches will wait around and watch.”

Last week, Maryknoll (20-2 overall, 12-2) defeated Punahou on the last night of the regular season to secure an automatic state-tournament berth. Punahou returned the favor by reaching the final of the playoff tourney. Now they get to play for the league title in a 6 p.m. matchup today at Hawaii Baptist Academy’s Dan Liu Gymnasium.

“We had opportunities, but we just didn’t finish,” Maryknoll coach Chico Furtado said. “We were getting beat off the dribble, then we help and can’t box out. When Alexis (Delovio) drove, she gets to the rim, there’s body contact, but in the referees’ estimation, not enough to call fouls.”

Chayse Milne led Maryknoll with 16 points and Rhianne Omori added 11. Isabella Cravens had four points and a team-high nine rebounds.

The last time the teams met, center Va’e Malufau suffered a separated shoulder during warmups. Moe stepped up with 24 points and 14 rebounds in the loss to the Lady Spartans. On Friday, she shot 7-for-12 from the field, dished three assists, had three steals and blocked a shot as Malufau watched from the sideline.

“With Va’e out, it’s momentum for everyone else and other girls are stepping up,” she said.

Kamaile Kandiah had nine points and Elle Uyeda added seven, including a flawless 4-for-4 at the foul line in the fourth quarter. Punahou was able to protect a two-point lead from the start of the fourth thanks to 13-for-17 shooting at the charity stripe. In the final quarter, Lexie Taylor, a junior guard, was 3-for-4 from the stripe and senior post Heaven Wong, stepping into Malufau’s role, was 2-for-2.

The Buffanblu went old school in the last three minutes of the game, clinging to a 41-38 lead. Kam had her team run a flex offense, and that’s when Wong, Taylor and Uyeda nailed free throws — a combined 7-for-8 during that span, to open the lead to 48-40 with 1:13 to go.

Maryknoll got two buckets from Milne to cut the lead to 50-44 with 30.6 seconds left. After a steal by Delovio led to a Kodee Viena pass to Milne for a corner 3, the lead was down to 50-47 with 15.6 seconds to play.

Maryknoll’s air-tight fullcourt pressure caused more problems, forcing the Buffanblu to call time out after an inbounds pass. On the next inbounds, the Buffanblu got the ball to Moe, the third option. She hit all net on her foul shots with 14.3 seconds left for a 52-47 lead.

OIA BOYS DIVISION I TOURNAMENT

KAILUA—Ronske Inere Jr. 0, Everett Torres-Kahapea 3, Noah Ah Yat 8, Zach Marrotte 16, Paul Keoni Serikawa Jr. 0, Noah Auld 2, Christian Mejia 13, Jonah Kalai 2, Darrell Bueno 0, Kawehe Kohatsu 13.

KALAHEO—Andrew Kearney 4, Kekai Smith 23, Captain Whitlock 9, Kela Thomas 0, Ryan Pardini 10, Abel Kanehe 0, Harry Wallace 6, Alex Layi 14, Mark Lehrner 0.

3-point goals—Kailua 3 (Marrotte 3). Kalaheo 2 (Smith, Whitlock).

No. 1 Kaiser 40, Kahuku 28

Keoua Mahiko scored 15 points and Chance Kalaugher added 12 as the Cougars cruised through their quarterfinal game.

Hirkley Latu scored 11 points to lead Kahuku.

KAHUKU—Kenny Spencer 8, Hirkley Latu 11, Kawika Akina 0, Bradlee Anae 0, Taimona Wright 0, Keanu Akina 9.

KAISER—Keoua Mahiko 15, Jalen Pinks 3, Kamu Scheer 0, Isaiah Lundell 5, Isaiah Akiona 2, Nic Tom 1, Michael Miske 2, Chance Kalaugher 12.

3-point goals—Kahuku 2 (Ke Akina, Spencer). Kaiser 5 (Mahiko 2, Kalaugher 2, Pinks).

McKinley 57, Pearl City 50

Huthifa Abdel-Juwad scored a game-high 24 points as the Tigers defeated the Chargers.

Sape Tupuola Jr. had 17 points for Pearl City in a losing effort.

MCKINLEY—Lane Laroya 0, Josh Kanazawa 0, Joseph Timonio 0, Mark Burke 3, Gladwyn Balinbin 5, Isaac Lu 2, Jeremy Coloyan 9, Dan Villejo 10, Treyson Furuta 0, Huthifa Abdel-Juwad 24, Kevin Nagasawa 0, Joey Abe 0, Kyle Coloyan 0, Rayjay John 4.

PEARL CITY—Sape Tupuola Jr. 17, Kavoisee Mason 4, Gilbert Tapat 4, Pierce McMoore 8, Pono Akiona 4, Ryan Yamamoto 12, Garin Spillner 1, Kamren Estoesta 0, Che Erquiza-Oliveras 0, Christian Punsalan 0.

3-point goals—McKinley 4 (Abdel-Juwad 2, J. Coloyan, Villejo ). Pearl City 6 (Yamamoto 3, Tupuola 2, McMoore).

No. 4 Leilehua 50, Moanalua 39

Joseph Gouty had 12 points, and Trey Boatright and Liam Fitzgerald had 10 each as the Mules knocked off Na Menehune.

Sage Pulu had 13 to lead Moanalua.

Leilehua will advance to face East No. 2 seed Kalaheo next Thursday.

MOANALUA—Jacob Ramelb 0, Mehmed Terzic 0, James Wilkins 4, Elijah Davis 0, Rodson Kealohi 4, AJ Escalante 0, RJ Dominguez 4, Ryan Ramones 0, Caleb Casinas 8, Tyshun Archie 4, Isaiah Jackson 2, Sage Pulu 13, Devin Leslie 0, Mataio Fatuesi 0.

LEILEHUA—Trey Boatwright 10, Linus Asher 2, Charles Watson 0, Joseph Gouty 12, Keion Anderson 0, Jostin Gampayon 2, Liam Fitzgerald 10, Nicholas Duran 5, Koalii Kauhi 4, Christian Alvarez 0, Anterrio Gainwell Jr. 5.

3-point goals—Moanalua 1 (Pulu). Leilehua 1 (Gouty).

OIA BOYS DIVISION II TOURNAMENT

Kalani 39, Aiea 27

Kobe Ikari scored 20 points and the Falcons used strong efforts in the first and fourth quarters to beat Na Alii in a semifinal matchup.

KALANI—Jamie Harris 0, Kobe Ikari 20, Miles Hannon 4, Akea Tolentino 0, Micah Kawano 3, Toby Mitchell 0, Kapaa Nishimura 7, John Lam 5, Trey Sumida 0.

AIEA—Ariq Vergado-Duclayan 0, Steven Park 2, Kailen Shinmoto 0, Kame Kim-Choy-Keb-Ah Lo 6, Keyson Goins 6, Jayden Chaviera 5, J. Amos 8.

3-point goals—Kalani 3 (Ikari 2, Nishimura). Aiea 3 (Amos 2, Chaviera).

Roosevelt 54, Kaimuki 48

Micah Visoria scored 11 points, including three 3-pointers, to lead the Rough Riders past the Bulldogs.

Christian Ono posted 18 points in the loss for Roosevelt.

Roosevelt advances to face Kalani next Thursday.

ROOSEVELT—Jared Elwin 10, Micah Visoria 11, Jason Talbo 8, Shastyn Kekahuna 6, Nayton Koki 10, Triton Ramos 7, Lio Ilalio 2.

KAIMUKI—Fred Taulung 3, Dominic Ono 3, Christian Ono 18, Brian Boyd 0, Kobe Hedgar 2, Shanson Kapanui 7, Billy Masima 6, Sifo Lauvao 3, Tayler Espinda 4, Jaren Feary 2.

3-point goals—Roosevelt 6 (Elwin 3, Visoria 3). Kaimuki 3 (Taulung, D. Ono, C. Ono).

ILH DIVISION II GIRLS PLAYOFFS

No. 4 Punahou 52, No. 3 Maryknoll 48

PUNAHOU—Kamaile Kandiah 9, Lexie Taylor 6, Heaven Wong 2, Abigail Aplaca 4, Kristen Tamagawa 1, Elle Uyeda 7, Tyra Moe 21, Kylie Yamauchi 2.

MARYKNOLL—Alexis Delovio 4, Rhianne Omori 11, Georgette Steitzel 3, Kodee Vienna 2, Isabella Cravens 4, Chayse Milne 16, Lindsey Lee 7, Ysabelle Halemano 1, Moenongi Notoa 0.

3-point goals—Punahou 1 (Moe). Maryknoll 3 (Lee, Milne, Stiezel).

ILH DIVISION II GIRLS PLAYOFFS

Hanalani 48, University 42

Keila Tsutsui scored 13 points and Isabelle Aki addeed 11 to help lift the Royals past the Jr. ‘Bows.

Kyra Young carried University’s offense, scoring 25 points in the loss.

HANALANI—Isabelle Aki 11, Rebekah Yamada 3, Alexa Nava 2, Jonnisty Monalim 5, Alyssa Spurling 6, Keila Tsutsui 13, Kiara Peterson 8.

UNIVERSITY—Cassidy Gelacio 0, British Dawson 0,Tyra Goo Sun 7, Camryn Kaina 0, Kyra Young 25, Ti Posiulai 6, Karley Ann Yoshioka 4.

3-point goals—Hanalani 1 (Aki). University 2 (Goo Sun, Young).

BIIF Girls

Kamehameha-Hawaii 50, Ka’u 7