Maryknoll muscles up for a win over Saint Louis Crusaders

For one quarter, No. 5 Saint Louis completely ruled the court.

No. 2 Maryknoll then turned it around, going on a 15-5 run en route to a 60-49 win over the Crusaders at McCabe Gym on Tuesday night.

Makoto Kamata poured in 18 points and Marcus Tobin tallied 11 points and nine rebounds as Maryknoll improved to 3-0 in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu (17-1 overall). Payton Grant added 11 points and Kalai Akaka added 10, including 8-for-9 at the foul line. The visitors finished 30-for-43 at the charity stripe, simply willing to attack the rim.

“They’re big and play football style. That’s the same way I’d coach them if I was coaching them,” Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant said. “They don’t play dirty. They just play physical. We just had to secure the ball.”

The physicality of the battle wasn’t an automatic edge for a Saint Louis team that features several athletes from its football state-championship team. The Spartans put plenty of time into the weight room during the offseason and battled right back. The tussle for rebounds was almost even, 33-32 in Saint Louis’ favor.

“They’re super physical. I made it a priority to hit the weight room and get bigger,” said Tobin, a 6-foot-7 senior. “That was fun. I love these kinds of games. It’s all part of the game.”

Trey Taba scored 11 points to pace Saint Louis, which dropped to 1-1 in league play. It was the first defeat of the year for the Crusaders (8-1), who shot 35 percent (17-for-49) from the field and 55 percent (11-for-20) from the foul line.

Playing before a relatively docile home crowd of about 300, the Crusaders roared to a 15-4 lead late in the first quarter after Alexander Blanco, Nalu Liftee and Junior Wily scored in the paint.

Maryknoll shot 2-for-11 from the field and 1-for-5 from the free-throw line and turned over the ball five times.

“We talked about our game plan,” Grant said. “Make sure we block out, stay on two feet when we go to the basket.”

The Spartans turned up their defense and muscled up in the paint in the second quarter. They forced the home team into seven turnovers and outrebounded the burly Crusaders 12-9.

Tobin’s putback dunk gave the visitors their first lead, 16-15. Maryknoll led 21-20 at halftime.

“Sometimes we lose our psyche and get too emotional. There was pushing and shoving under the boards, some chirping,” Saint Louis coach Sol Batoon said. “We’ve got to play consistently.”

The Crusaders got within 26-25 in the third quarter, but piled up their fouls. Maryknoll was in the bonus with 3:07 left in the third. Kamata took advantage, shooting 5-for-6 at the line as the Spartans opened a 37-33 lead entering the fourth stanza.

Tobin’s and-1 three-point play extended the lead to seven points, and after Grant splashed a corner 3, Maryknoll spread the court and forced Saint Louis to chase. Kamata’s midrange wing jumper made it 45-35 with 4:44 remaining.