Points came at an often painstaking pace for both Moanalua and Kalani on Friday night.

When the buzzer sounded to a wild finish, Na Menehune had scratched out just enough scoring to celebrate a 33-30 home win.

Moanalua managed just 12 points in the first half, but its depth and defense helped spur a comeback from a 14-point third-quarter deficit as Na Menehune held Kalani to seven points in the second half and both teams completed the first week of the regular season at 2-1 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association East.

“It happens sometimes. The flow of the game, the pace of the game was so slow to begin with, to be able to knock down shot after shot was going to be tough,” Moanalua head coach Greg Tacon said.

“There were no freebies — everything you had to work for.”

Kalani guard Tatsuya Ono was the only player to reach double figures, finishing with 11 points. The Falcons controlled the action in the first half, with their guards using a high pick-and-roll to drive to the basket or dish to open teammates for perimeter shots.

The Falcons outscored Moanalua 13-4 in the second quarter and took an 11-point lead into halftime.

The lead grew to 14 at 2612 when Takezo Iguchi hit a 3-pointer 50 seconds into the third quarter.

That would be Kalani’s last field goal until 50 seconds were left in the game.

“They executed everything I wanted to execute and some nights the ball doesn’t go in for you,” Kalani head coach Nathan Davis said. “They played together as a team, they worked hard, we tried to make the hustle and I thought we did that. We did everything but win the ballgame.”

In the meantime, Moanalua chipped at the Falcons’ lead, fueled largely by its second unit as Na Menehune’s bench provided 15 points in the second half.

“We were kind of stalling and our second group came in and gave us a good push and got us back in the game,” said Moanalua forward Dillon Turk, who led Na Menehune with eight points. “The first group kept up the lead and finished strong.”

Moanalua tied the game on Justin Hudcovic’s putback early in the fourth quarter and moved ahead on two free throws by Eliet Donley at the 7:14 mark.

Each team managed to make one free throw until Kalani forward Sam Kahalewai scored on a layup with 50 seconds left to knot the game at 30-30.

Moanalua’s Josh Kang made the first of two free throws, then grabbed the rebound after missing the second to extend Na Menehune’s possession. Kahanu Puulei-auld then went 1-for-2 from the line and Kalani took possession down 32-30 with 14 seconds left.

After a timeout, Ono drove from the wing and had a lane to the basket. But his layup rolled off the rim with 4 seconds left and Moanalua secured the rebound and the win with another free throw.

“(In the second half) we got the shots we wanted to get, we got the rim a whole bunch of times. They just didn’t go down,” Davis said. “The last play we drew up, they executed it to a T, just a little short on the layup.”

Farrington 72, Kailua 35

Viane Vaina scored 12 of his 17 points in the third quarter as the Governors blitzed the Surfriders. Gov teammate Jeffrey Madarang sparked Farrington early, notching six of his 14 points in the first quarter.

Kirk Ronolo Jr. led Kailua with 12 points.

Castle 51, Anuenue 32

Kalei Zuttermeister and Kela Shea each scored 13 points as the Knights beat Na Koa.

Damon Shimabukuro scored 12 points to lead the Trojans past the Golden Hawks.

Kailon Sabate scored 13 points and Tysen Hickcox added 10 as the Chargers beat the Marauders.

Campbell 64, Waialua 54

Aaron Steele (23 points) and Solomon Leaeno (18) dominated inside to lead the Sabers to a victory over the Bulldogs.

Le Jardin 55, Punahou II 52

Sean Mcwhinnie finished with a game-high 21 points as the Bulldogs clinched an overtime win over the Buffanblu.