Last-second tip-in elevates Campbell past Kalaheo

Gilbert Dayanan’s tip-in at the buzzer won it for the cardiac kids from Campbell.

The 60-59 victory over Kalaheo elevated the Sabers into the OIA Red Championship against Farrington at McKinley Student Council Gymnasium on Thursday.

The Sabers, coming off a last-minute playoff win over Leilehua, trailed most of the way until in the fourth quarter.

Kalaheo regained the lead on an alley-oop from Kupaa Harrison (game-high 31 points) to Alec MacLeod with 10 seconds remaining. Without a timeout, Campbell rushed upcourt and guard Jomar Jett Gapusan launched a 17-footer from the wing that bounced high off the front of the rim, but Dayanan was on the spot and made the tip-in just before the buzzer.

"We kept believing in our team," said Dayanan, a 5-foot-10 senior. "All I knew is that we had to do this. I believe in every single one of my teammates."

It was a miraculous win for the Sabers (17-9 overall), who trailed 15-0 early on.

Campbell coach Wyatt Tau was nearly speechless.

"The biggest thing was coming back from 15-0. I believe our Saturday workouts paid dividends in this game. We were still fresh. Hat’s off to these kids. I’m in shock," Tau said. 

The teams met in preseason, when Kalaheo won in overtime, 42-40. It could’ve gone either way again.

"I take a lot of the blame," Kalaheo coach Alika Smith said. "My instinct was to call a timeout (before MacLeod’s shot), but I didn’t have any. Hat’s off to them. They hit a bunch of shots we haven’t seen from them. When you’re hot, you’re hot."

Dayanan finished with 14 points and Isaac Hurd scored a team-high 15 for unranked Campbell.

Down early, Dayanan drove through the middle for a layup at the buzzer to cut the lead to 31-23 at halftime.

After Alex Layi drilled a 3 from the top, the Sabers were within six.

Tau used his bench liberally, sparking a defensive swarm that brought Campbell within 42-41 after a steal and layup by Hurd late in the third quarter.

Kalaheo stretched the lead back to five after MacLeod hit a runner in the paint, but Dayanan answered with another buzzer-beater, a 10-foot runner as time expired, cutting  Kalaheo’s lead to 46-44 entering the final quarter.

Campbell is a different team now, but Hurd isn’t surprised.

"It’s our chemistry. This is pretty much our seniors from our (JV) championship team two years ago. God gave us last week’s win (over Leilehua) and he blessed us again," he said.

Campbell shot 7-for-13 from behind the 3-point arc.

KALAHEO–Zach Marrotte 8, Alec MacLeod 5, Kupaa Harrison 31, Kekai Smith 10, Micah Holeso 0, Dario Delcastillo 0, L.J. Barnes 5.

CAMPBELL–Jomar Jett Gapusan 8, Michael Merchant 0, Isaac Hurd 15, Jayce Bantolina 4, Lamart Dudley 3, Gilbert Dayanan 14, Melvin Bergado 7, Kainoa Perry 2, Alex Layi 7.

3-point goals–Kalaheo 4 (Marrotte 2, Barnes, Smith). Campbell 7 (Hurd 3, Layi 2, Bantolina, Dayanan).

Leilehua 64, Radford 54

Joseph Gouty led all scorers with 17 points as the Mules defeated the Rams in a Red playoff elimination game. With the win, the Mules clinch an HHSAA state championship berth.

LEILEHUA–Kainoa Aleviado 11, Chanse Ramirez 8, Joseph Gouty 17, Kevin Brown 2, Anterrio Gainwell 0, Elijah Calzo 0, Koa Kauhi 0, Dhyllan Amond 2, Pomai Cozo 11, Bryan Mason 7, Torenzo Vereen 6.

RADFORD–Jordin Pacheco 0, Malcolm Hill 10, Tobias Powell 14, Derrick McLamore 6, Trevon Hinkel 4, LaToine Thompson 0, Absolom Henry 14, Izaiah Lavatai 0, Aaron Jackson 6, Kendall Bryant 0.

3-point goals–Leilehua 6 (Aleviado 3, Ramirez 2, Gouty). Radford 3 (Hill 2, Powell).

Mililani 74, Roosevelt 68

Noel Bueno scored a game-high 19 points as the Trojans held off the visiting Rough Riders in a Red playoff elimination game. Mililani, which clinched a state berth with the win, will host Leilehua in the 5:30 p.m. fifth-place game on Thursday.

ROOSEVELT–Chaston Marcos 1, Valen Inara 18, Justin Furtado 8, Jake Kawasaki 0, Henry Maumalanga 13, Mick Colling 7, Kevin Foster 12, Sean Zukeran 0, Josh Alexander 5, T. Ramos 0, Brent Quakenbush 4, Felix He 0 .

MILILANI–Braiden Rosario 0, Cameron Muh 0, Jeremy Rozmeski 4, Noel Bueno 19, Kingston Nishimura 0, John Orpillia 0, Cody Sison 9, Elijah Gambol 13, Ian Namu 13, Sean Fitzgerald 0, Jacob Low 6, Elijah Butler 9, James Ziegler 1, Kekoa Fields 0, Logan Griff 0.

3-point goals–Roosevelt 2 (Furtado 2). Mililani 4 (Bueno 2, Gambol, Rozmeski).

ILH DIVISION II BOYS

Le Jardin 72, Christian Academy 63

The Bulldogs (1-10) got their first win of the season by defeating the Patriots

(8-3) to advance in the league’s third-place tournament. Le Jardin advances to Wednesday’s 5 p.m. semifinal vs. University High at the Damien High gym.

ILH

Division I-AA Varsity Boys Tournament Championship

‘Iolani 42, Punahou 39

MIL

Division II Varsity Boys

Molokai 44, St. Anthony 40

ILH DIVISION III BOYS

Hawaiian mission 68, Christian Academy 54

League Championship

Monday

At Aiea High gym

By school policy, Hawaiian Mission Academy cannot play on Fridays and has time limitations on Saturdays due to its religious obligations. Runner-up Christian Academy moved on to represent D-III in the D-II tourney to avoid any upcoming postseason conflicts.

HAWAIIAN MISSION–Andrew Yamada 0, John Saldevar 0,  Riley Kim 0, Chris Chang 2,  Jordan Clark 7, Trevor Johnson 0, Mark Valencia 23, Jared Siok 10, Seth Jackson 16, Richard Domingo 2, Logan Earles 8.

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY–Frederick Harris III 13, Matthew Urcia 9, Rylie Schenbeck Chang 1, Xavier Matthews 2, Hollis Tam 0, Austin Miura 0, Bryson Stride 0, Joshua Luna 27, Jacob-Aaron Salas 0, Raymond Black IV 2, Sean Domen 0, Brandon Hong 0, Jarrin-James Ralar 0, Brayden Salas 0.

3-point goals–Hawaiian Mission 5 (Valencia 3, Earles, Jackson). Christian Academy 2 (Harris 2).