No. 4 Maryknoll follows Viena over No. 6 ‘Iolani

Kodee Viena came through when her team needed her most Saturday.

During a crucial 10-point run to open the fourth quarter, the Maryknoll sophomore forward scored five points and added a steal that led to another bucket. It turned a close, five-point game into a 15-point lead in what turned out to be a sizable 62-41 victory over ‘Iolani (2-4) at the Raiders’ gym.

“She’s capable of those things,” Spartans coach Chico Furtado said. “That run took away some of their heart, and then I think our depth kicked in.”

Fourth-ranked Maryknoll (5-1) held sixth-ranked ‘Iolani to three points in the fourth quarter and remained a half-game behind Punahou (6-0) in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu standings.

“We were getting open looks, but the shots weren’t falling,” Raiders coach Dean Young said. “Give Maryknoll credit. Every time we missed, they came down and hit the big shots when they needed them, and it just snowballed. And their size started to make a difference.”

Viena’s ring-leading effort turned a 41-36 game at the end of three quarters to 51-36. Georjette Stietzel’s 3-pointer capped that 10-point run after a Viena steal. From there, the Spartans pretty much coasted home.

The animated Furtado was scratching his head for answers on how his team would step up and stop ‘Iolani’s 3-point game that kept the Raiders within two points, 25-23, at the half.

“We were horrendous against their long-range shooters (who went 5-for-15 in the first 16 minutes) in the first half,” he said. “We changed to a 1-3-1 zone and that made a big difference in the second half.”

Viena admitted that Maryknoll’s defenders didn’t recognize the backside 3-point corner shooters that the Raiders were using to maximize the damage before the break. She also credited the spirit of the team that led to her big output in crunch time.

“I saw the team was getting more energy and that gave me more energy,” she said.

Camy Aguinaldo and freshman Taylor Wu fired up two 3-pointers each for ‘Iolani in the first half. Aguinaldo finished with eight points, and Kelsi Ikeda had a team-high 10 points with some accurate midrange shooting.

The Raiders grabbed a 12-9 lead at the end of the first quarter, after a 12-2 run in which Aguinaldo, Wu and Kawai Kahalehoe hit treys. Their last lead came at 17-14, on Wu’s second 3-pointer.

Isabella Cravens’ four free throws in a row late in the half put the Spartans ahead for good at 23-19.

MARYKNOLL—Kamalu Kamakawiwo’ole 6, Alexis Delovio 4, Rhianne Omori 9, Georgette Steitzel 0, Dakota Vienna 9, Isabella Cravens 6, Chayse Milne 10, Rhyenne Filisi 2, Lindsey Lee 7, Kehau Gilliland 0, Ysabelle Halemano 4, Sierra Murobayashi 0, Moenongi Notoa 5.

‘IOLANI—Kristen Ahn 0, Shelby Arakawa 0, Emily Nomura 0, Brooke Maeda 0, Sierra Buscher 7, Kelsi Ikeda 10, Taylor Wu 6, Camy Aguinaldo 8, Aubrie Usui 0, Tori Lynn Maeda 5, Kawai Kahalehoe 5, Skylar Nakata 0, Saige Kaahaaina-Torres 0.

3-point goals—Maryknoll 5 (Aguinaldo 2, Wu 2, Kahalehoe). ‘Iolani 6 (Milne 2, Omori 2, Lee, Viena).