There was a lot of banging going on at the ‘Iolani gym Saturday night.

The refs allowed No. 5 Saint Louis and No. 3 ‘Iolani to go at it freely and the Crusaders prevailed in the rough-and-tumble, defensive-minded game, 35-31.

Both coaches had no trouble at all calling it "ugly."

The losing coach, Dean Shimamoto, thought it boiled down to which team wanted it more.

"I thought they won the effort battle at the end," Shimamoto said. "It was the kind of game where it was decided by the effort plays, one offensive rebound there, one loose ball there. They made it ugly for us. We played tough and we played good defensively, but we’ve got to score (more)."

Jimmy Nunuha III made a huge difference at the end for the Crusaders (2-0 ILH), scoring eight of his game-high 14 points in the decisive fourth quarter. Aside from going 6-for-7 from the free-throw line in the quarter, Nunuha made the Raiders (1-1) pay with a grinding drive on sophomore post Hugh Hogland for a bucket and finished the three-point play from the line for a comfortable 30-22 lead.

Hogland put his hands high in the air as if to say, "I was planted." But it didn’t convince the officials.

"I went up with confidence," Nunuha said.

The Crusaders’ fourth-quarter free-throw shooting (8-for-10) was in stark contrast to their terrible charity-stripe outing in a close win at Maryknoll on Wednesday.

"We worked on our free-throw shooting before the game at our gym," Nunuha said. "We did a half-hour at one end of the gym and another half-hour at the other end."

Keith Spencer, the Saint Louis coach, was all smiles after the win.

"Nothing comes easy in this league," he said. " ‘Iolani is a program I respect, so it’s a humbling experience to come here at their gym and win. Our second unit was huge tonight. They kept our first unit fresh for the fourth quarter. During a timeout, I told Jimmy that big-time players show up when the game is on the line. He is a big-time player."

After taking an 8-7 lead at the end of the first quarter, Saint Louis never trailed again. The Crusaders held a 16-15 halftime lead and built it to 25-19 after three.

But ‘Iolani didn’t give in. Hogland scored four points in the final period and teammate Zack Gelacio hit all five of his free throws as the Raiders cut it to 34-31 with 32 seconds left.

Nunuha made one of two from the line with 30 seconds to go to make it 35-31.

On ‘Iolani’s last possession, the Raiders had a flurry of six chances to put it in and couldn’t do it.

"We kept battling and working on that last possession," said a beaming Spencer, who lauded the hustle and inside defense of Jayce Smalley and Lance Sataraka.

SAINT LOUIS–Brendon Johnson 0, Jimmy Nunuha III 14, Kevin Marks 4, Keanu Souza 3, Jaymason Nunuha 0, Colton Nascimento 2, Jayce Smalley 4, Christopher Sykes 4, Lance Sataraka 4.

‘IOLANI–Ryan Yoshioka 0, Robby Mann 5, Zack Gelacio 7, Bryson Hamada 2, Shane Lay 0, Erik Yamada 7, John Lee 0, Pikai Winchester 5, Kamu Borden 0, Hugh Hogland 5.

3-point goals–Saint Louis none. ‘Iolani 1 (Winchester).

No. 2 Punahou 53, No. 7 Maryknoll 52

Jordan Tanuvasa made the game-winning free throw with 3.3 seconds left to lead the Buffanblu over the Spartans. 

PUNAHOU–Randon Oda 3, Jordan Tanuvasa 5, Micah Ma’a 0, Justin "JB" Kam 20, Dayson Watanabe 11, Kala’i Santos 0, Kanawai Noa 8, Jared Lum 0, ‘Akahi Troske 6, Jack-Eli Tufono 0.

MARYKNOLL–Isaiah Gelacio 0, Michael Miske 8, Jordyn Perez 0, Jaylen Cain 0, Calvin Koo 3, Hayato Kamata 11, Justice Sueing Jr. 16, Saige Pulu 8, Kaulana Schmidt 2, Matt McGivern 2, Brian Washington 2, Tafari Tenchi Robinson 0.

3-point goals–Punahou 4 (Kam, Noa, Watanabe, Tanuvasa). Maryknoll 3 (Kamata 2, Koo).

Kamehameha 42, Mid-Pacific 36

The defensive-minded Warriors outscored the Owls 15-4 in the third quarter and fended off a late comeback by Mid-Pacific.

KAMEHAMEHA–Jayden Zarriello 5, Kamren Victorino-Kato 3, Saint Gelacio 6, Noah Gelacio 3, Kainalu Martin 0, Fatu Sua-Godinet 8, Kaeler Kahana 6, Kobe Young 5, Peter Hanohano-Hashimoto 0, Kumoku Noa 2, Pono Arias 4, Cade Pedro 0.

MID-PACIFIC–Nathaniel Ng 0, Daniel Florenco 11, Ben Swanson 0, Ken Colombe 6, Andrew Kargol 13, Justin Daise 6, Cameron Wong 0.

3-point goals–Kamehameha 6 (Kahana 2, N. Gelacio, Victorino-Kato, Young, Zarriello). Mid-Pacific 3 (Kargol 2, Florenco).

ILH Division II boys

University 69, Damien 58

Ryan Hobus paced the Junior ‘Bows with 21 points to beat the Monarchs. 

DAMIEN–Rocky Mori 21, Shawn Apiki 8, Kapi King 6, Kobe Ikari 16, Storm Maldonaldo 0, Kolin Galdiano 0, Brandon Galang 0, Crummel Mooring 7, Malik Adeniji 0, LeTumu Zamora-Fiaseu 0, Ezekiel Naum 0, Ernie Kornya IV 0, Reggie Liunoras 0.

UNIVERSITY–Micah Agcaoili 14, Ryan Hobus 21, Anson Canencia 15, Lachlan MacLeod 7, Denver Tong 0, Radyn Kaleikini 4, Kapena Fitzgerald 0, Milton Monico 2, Shaun Mahiko 2, Tyler Yoshinaga 0, Frank Hobus 4.

3-point goals–Damien 5 (Ikari 4, Mooring). University 4 (Agcaoili 4).

Also, 

Division I-AA boys

Punahou 55, ‘Iolani 40

High scorers–Pun: Kyle Yoshino 19, Daniel Ota 12. Iol: Lopaka Lee 8.

Junior varsity boys

Mid-Pacific 62, Saint Louis 25

OIA EAST BOYS

Moanalua 69, Kaimuki 49 Friday

MOANALUA–Eric Miyauchi 19, Domenick Bailey 11, Christian Casinas 0, Jacob Matayoshi 6, Rodson Kealohi 1, Darren Fontanilla 0, Carson Kruz 0, Kyrie McRaven 18, A.J. Escalante 0, Sean Musrasrik 0, Devon Leslie 1, Isaiah Jackson 4, James Wilkins 4, R.J. Dominguez 5, Mataio Fatuesi 0.

KAIMUKI–Calvin Henry 5, Christian Ono 12, Sloan Fuller 3, Joshua Kim 3, Tevita Lino 0, Brian Boyd 5, Sifo Lauvao 10, Shanson Kapanui 10, Jeffery Cu 0, Billy Masima 1.

3-point goals–Moanalua none. Kaimuki 6 (Lauvao 2, Boyd, Fuller, Kim, Ono).

Junior varsity–Moanalua 60, Kaimuki 42