Saint Louis fought off a frantic Maryknoll comeback to scrape by with a 44-42 ILH boys basketball season-opening victory on Wednesday at Ching Gymnasium.

Trailing with 1.7 seconds left, Maryknoll inbounded the ball past halfcourt to Brian Washington, who made a quick pass to Jordyn Perez on the wing and his prayer of a shot went up as the buzzer sounded and hit the rim and backboard.

The Crusaders, who led by as many as 15 in the first half, started leaking gas after the break and their big edge began to fritter away. A 7-for-17 fourth-quarter performance at the free-throw line didn’t help.

"There’s no way this game should have been this close," Saint Louis coach Keith Spencer said. "We didn’t hit free throws in the clutch. And in the second half, we weren’t being aggressive. We had a lead and were complacent. We talked about that at halftime, to keep being aggressive. We’ll be talking about that more (at practice). We’ll take the ugly win."

Maryknoll trailed 27-14 at the half and slowly came back on the athleticism of 6-foot-5 sophomore Justice Sueing Jr., who scored nine of his game-high 17 points in the final period.

Sueing’s 15-foot baseline stop-and pop with 3:10 left in the third cut the gap to one point, 35-34.

A drive by Jimmy Nunuha III and six scattered Saint Louis free throws brought the lead back up to as many as six points until 3-pointers by Michael Miske and Sueing cut the gap to 43-42 with 23 ticks left.

After the Crusaders’ Kevin Marks missed two foul shots with 12.5 seconds left, he hustled for a steal as Maryknoll hurriedly tried to bring the ball down for a shot. That play virtually sealed the win. Ihaka Johnson added a free throw before the Spartans’ late miss.

"It came down to guys not knowing what to do in certain situations," said Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant, who has five freshman and four sophomores on his 14-man roster. "They need more reps in practice and we need to look at the video. Some of the stuff they’re seeing out there, they’ve never seen before. Like what do they do when Sueing comes down with a rebound and is triple-teamed already?"

Grant’s statisticians tallied 35 turnovers for the Spartans.

"That’s the most turnovers on any team anywhere I’ve coached," he said.

Sueing was bummed he and his teammates didn’t come out stronger.

"Our intensity was not good early," he said. "We were too nervous and let our emotions get to us."

Nunuha, who had a team-high 13 points, was happy the Crusaders beat Maryknoll, something they didn’t do last year

"Their bigs (Sueing, Saige Pulu and shot-blocking mayhem-maker Washington, who is a 6-5 frosh) are really good and we practiced our help defense to play against them," said Nunuha, who added that the Crusaders need to relax more on free throws. "This was a big accomplishment for us."

At Maryknoll gym

SAINT LOUIS—Ihaka Johnson 8, Jimmy Nunuha III 13, Kevin Marks 0, Keanu Souza 0, Jaymason Nunuha 7, Colton Nascimento 6, Drew Kobayashi 6, Jon Manalo 0, Jayce Smalley 4, Christopher Sykes 0, Josiah Maglente-Tonu 0, Spencer Johnson 0, Lance Sataraka 0.

MARYKNOLL—Isaiah Gelacio 0, Michael Miske 6, Jordyn Perez 4, Jaylen Cain 2, Darin Miyamoto 0, Calvin Koo 2, Kamata Hayato 0, Justice Sueing Jr. 17, Saige Pulu 3, Kaulana Schmidt 2, Matt McGivern 0, Brian Washington 6, Tafari Tenchi Robinson 0.

3-point goals—Saint Louis 2 (Nascimento 2). Maryknoll 2 (Miske, Sueing).

NO. 2 PUNAHOU 64, KAMEHAMEHA 45

Justin "JB" Kam scored a team-high 19 points and Jordan Tanuvasa added 10 as the Buffanblu defeated the visiting Warriors. Fatu Sua-Godinet led Kamehameha with 19 points.

At Punahou gym

KAMEHAMEHA—Jayden Zarriello 5, Kamren Victorino-Kato 0, Saint Gelacio 3, Noah Gelacio 1, Kainalu Martin 2, Fatu Sua-Godinet 19, Kaeler Kahana 0, Devin Mau 0, Kobe Young 4, Peter Hanohano-Hashimoto 0, Kumoku Noa 3, Pono Arias 0, Cade Pedro 8.

PUNAHOU—Randon Oda 4, Jordan Tanuvasa 10, Christopher Kobayashi 2, Micah Ma’a 8, Justin "JB" Kam 19, Dayson Watanabe 4, Kala’i Santos 3, Wil Stanley 0, Hunter Lee 0, Kanawai Noa 6, Ronley Lakalaka 2, Jared Lum 2, Alexander Kidani 0, ‘Akahi Troske 4, Jack-Eli Tufono 0.

3-point goals—Kamehameha 5 (Sua-Godinet 3, Noa, Zarriello). Punahou 8 (Kam 3, Tanuvasa 3, Santos, Watanabe).

NO. 3 ‘IOLANI 55, MID-PACIFIC 37

Zack Gelacio posted 17 points to lift the Raiders over the Owls in the ILH season opener.

Justin Daise led Mid-Pacific with 12 points, followed by Den Suehiro’s 11 points.

At Mid-Pacific gym

‘IOLANI—Ryan Yoshioka 0, Helam Baldomero 2, Justin Genovia 0, Robby Mann 8, Zack Gelacio 17, Nick Kennedy 0, Bryson Hamada 2, Shane Lay 9, Erik Yamada 5, John Lee 0, Pikai Wincheser 5, Kamu Borden 5, Cameron Chang 0, Hugh Hogland 2.

MID-PACIFIC—Nathaniel Ng 0, Daniel Florenco 0, Den Suehiro 11, Ben Swanson 2, Ken Colombe 0, Andrew Kargol 8, Justin Daise 12, Cameron Wong 4.

3-point goals—‘Iolani 3 (Gelacio 2, Wincheser). Mid-Pacific none.

ILH

DIVISION I-AA BOYS

Maryknoll 60, Saint Louis 45

Leading scorers—MS: Jehriko Quinabo 13, Avery Guillermo 12. StL: Kaimi Vierra 14.

JUNIOR VARSITY DIVISION I

Punahou-Blue 59, Saint Louis 39

Maryknoll 44, ‘Iolani 22

ILH DIVISION III BOYS

ASSETS 51, LANAKILA BAPTIST 44

The Admirals pulled away with a big second half to defeat the Warriors. Carter Keawai led Assets with 11 points, followed by Trevor Middleton’s 10 points.

At Palama Settlement gym

LANAKILA BAPTIST—Keanu Ciskowsky 15, Geo Julian 4, Caleb Kemple 2, Jerrold Mariano 13, Joshua Carlton 10.

ASSETS—Kainoa Coarsey 2, AJ Ulufale 8, Carter Keawai 11, Trevor Middleton 10, Chris Tanaka 2, Aiden Matsura 8, Bryce Adachi 2, Cole Herrera 6, Ikani Naulu 2.

3-point goals—Lanakila Baptist 2 (Ciskowsky, Mariano). Assets 2 (Ulufale, Keawai).

ISLAND PACIFIC 62, HAWAIIAN MISSION 38

John Black scored 17 points, Mana Kaululaau added 13 and the Navigators hit 11 3-pointers in a win over the Knights.

At Palama Settlement gym

ISLAND PACIFIC—Brian Arde 4, Micaiah Lum 6, Michael Brenner 4, Dustin Agbayani 1, Jake Arakawa 3, Ryan Posiulai 3, John Black 17, Robert Roy 5, Kaipo Orosco 6, Mana Kaululaau 13.

HAWAIIAN MISSION—Andrew Yamada 3, Reid Kim 9, Logan Earls 19, Richard Domingo 1, Caleb Miller 6.

3-point goals—Island Pacific 11 (Kaululaau 3, Lum 2, Arakawa, Arde, Black, Orosco, Posiulai, Roy). Hawaiian Mission none.