It didn’t take long for Chico Furtado to build a winner at Maryknoll.

Senior Maegen Martin came up big down the stretch with nine points and 10 rebounds and junior Lindsey Lee added a key 3-pointer from the corner late in the game to help Maryknoll hold off Punahou 47-42 to win the ILH girls basketball championship on Thursday night at Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium.

Alexis Delovio added 13 points and six rebounds for the Spartans (11-1), who bounced back from their only loss of the season to defeat the Buffanblu in a winner-take-all game for the league crown.

"I wanted this for our kids," Furtado said. "I had butterflies all day even though I’ve been here before as a coach."

Furtado took over the program, which at the time was competing in Division II, after the 2012 season following a career of more than 20 years coaching at Kalaheo.

Not since the back-to-back state championship teams of the late 1970s have the Spartans had the success in girls basketball they’ve enjoyed this season.

Maryknoll, ranked fourth in the state, went undefeated through the regular season before a stunning loss to ‘Iolani in the semifinals of the ILH tournament.

Punahou (9-4), which beat ‘Iolani in double overtime on Tuesday to force the playoff with Maryknoll, cut a 15-point deficit to three in the fourth quarter but couldn’t finish off the comeback.

"They got back into it because they’re the defending state champs with four returning starters," Furtado said. "That’s not a Mickey Mouse team we beat over there. I told our kids they were going to make a run and they made things nervous, cutting it to three, but we weathered the storm."

Rhianne Omori, one of six freshmen to play for Maryknoll, added eight points and three steals as the Spartans built a 36-21 lead with 2:28 left in the third quarter.

The Buffanblu, who already had secured a state tournament berth, slowly chipped away at the lead with their half-court pressure that forced Maryknoll to make some mistakes.

Sunny Rosario’s three early in the fourth quarter cut the lead to single digits for the first time since the middle of the second quarter and Va’e Malufau’s putback with 5:05 remaining made it 40-34.

Lee gave her team a boost with a huge 3-pointer from the corner to increase the lead to nine, but Elle Uyeda’s steal and layup with 1:26 remaining made it a one-possession game at 43-40.

After a Maryknoll miss, Punahou had two good looks at the rim, but Rosario missed an open 3-pointer and Kamaile Kandiah’s open layup was too strong as Martin pulled down the rebound and hit one of two free throws to push the lead back to two possessions.

"We tried to go and trap them when we could and we got a couple of tips on the backside that gave us the ball back," Punahou coach Kevin Velasco said. "We had a couple of shots there that just didn’t fall but that’s part of the game."

Lee added two more free throws to put the game away. As soon as the game ended, a ladder was brought out to allow the girls to cut down the nets to celebrate the title.

"It was a total team effort and I’m glad we were able to do this not just for each other but also for the school," Lee said.

Martin, who left the game momentarily in the third quarter after a nasty collision down low, raged quite the battle inside against Punahou’s 6-foot twin towers Malufau and Tyra Moe.

"Two games in a row I’ve had to defend Tyra, and last year, so I knew what I had to do to prepare and control them and control myself and stand my ground," Martin said.

Malufau finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Uyeda led Punahou with 14 points.

PUNAHOU–Kamaile Kandiah 4, Va’e Malufau 12, Elle Uyeda 14, Tyra Moe 4, Sunny Rosario 4, Abigail Aplaca 2, Lexie Taylor 2, Asia Olivieri 0, McKenna Granato 0, Astra Kidani 0, Heaven Wong 0.

MARYKNOLL–Alexis Delovio 13, Rhianne Omori 8, Maegen Martin 9, Lindsey Lee 11, Moe Notoa 0, Ysabelle Halemano 2, Kaile Cambra 2, Chayse Milne 2, Isabella Cravens 0, Georjette Stietzel 0.

3-point goals — Punahou 2 (Uyeda, Rosario), Maryknoll 3 (Delovio, Omori, Lee).

Damien 49, Le jardin 33

Melina Souza scored a game-high 27 points as the Monarchs defeated the Bulldogs to capture the Intersholastic League of Honolulu Division II single elmination tournament and the final berth to the state championships.

Renee Van Bergejik led Le Jardin with 15 points.

LE JARDIN–Naya Tadaki 0, Renee Van Bergeijk 15, Morgan Pelkey 4, Katherine Awana 1, Kacey Kuchenbecker 7, Alyssa Dominguez 2, Mia Barrett 4.

DAMIEN–Kamaile Lebanon 6, Kelsey Perreria 6, Kaylie Cruz 3, Ethel Suniga 0, Karly Navas 6, Montana Carter 0, Chantelle Agag 0, Kilinoe Gora 0, Catherine Votovich 1, Melina Souza 27.

3-point goals–Le jardin 1 (Kuchenbecker). Damien 2 (Navas 2).

University 42, St. Francis 38

Brenna Dela Rosa scored 13 points and Markayisha Masani added 12 as the Junior Bows defeated the Saints.

Nani Santos led St. Francis with 18.

ST. FRANCIS–Nani Santos 18, Kelli Oubo 0, Kahili Liu-Hanohano 0, Chasey Abrams 0, Rya Ornong 0, Misiona Ribeiro 6, Skye Ah Yat 4, Lacey Satele 10, Brianna Nagasawa 0, Dayna Romero 0. 

UNIVERSITY–Brenna Dela Rosa 13, Malialani Parpana 0, Markayisha Masani 12, Addie Ortiz 0, Kyra Young 10, Karley Ann Yoshioka 1, Jocelyn Ki 6, Tioledoauli Posiulai 0.

3-point goals–Saint Francis 6 (Santos 4, Satele 2). University 3 (Masani 2, Dela Rosa).