No. 1 Maryknoll holds off stubborn Mid-Pacific in boys basketball

ANDREW LEE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Maryknoll’s Niko Robben rose for a shot against the Mid-Pacific defense during Saturday’s game at MPI’s gym.

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ANDREW LEE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER

Maryknoll’s Niko Robben rose for a shot against the Mid-Pacific defense during Saturday’s game at MPI’s gym.

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ANDREW LEE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER

Mid-Pacific’s Elijah Kahue-Parker drove down court as Maryknoll’s Liko Soares set up a block.

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ANDREW LEE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER

Mid-Pacific’s Kala Nakaya, left, and Elijah Kahue-Parker defended a shot by Maryknoll’s Sage Tolentino.

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Liko Soares scored 16 points and Niko Robben tallied 13 as No. 1 Maryknoll escaped with a 42-36 win over No. 6 Mid-Pacific on Saturday night at Mills Gymnasium.

Free-throw shooting by the defending state champion Spartans proved to be crucial again. Maryknoll shot 13-for-16 at the charity stripe in the final quarter.

Maryknoll improved to 2-0 in Interscholastic League of Honolulu play, pulling out its second white-knuckle thriller in as many nights.

“The next one is Kamehameha,” Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant said. “Big one. Everyone is so evenly matched. This was a fun game to watch.”

>> Click here to see photos of the game between Maryknoll and Mid-Pacific.

On Friday, ‘Iolani rallied to take a fourth-quarter lead before Maryknoll eked out the victory.

On Saturday, the visiting Spartans saw a 27-16 third-quarter lead evaporate. The Owls’ 11-0 run, sparked by a Lucca Kitashima 3, an Apollo Espania layup off a steal by Elijah Kahue-Parker, and a baseline jumper by Kala Nakaya, tied the game at 27 entering the fourth stanza.

Mid-Pacific’s momentum continued in the fourth with a wing 3 by reserve Jayden Ramos to seize a 30-29 lead with 7:12 remaining. The Owls open the lead to 34-31 after a block by Nakaya on a Soares layup attempt led to an easy deuce for Kahue-Parker.

MPI then spread the court into a four-corners set.

“We were prepared for stalling,” Grant said. “Immediately, when I saw their stall, we went to the 1-3-1 (zone) trap. We got a couple steals off that, a couple free throws. We use it once in awhile. We know that this year we weren’t going to be holding the lead at all times like last year, so we have a couple of things we work on.”

The Owls knew Maryknoll would show different looks depending on the game script.

“We practiced for zone. We didn’t necessarily practice for that zone. I was anticipating more matchup zone. We’re not trying to stall,” MPI coach Robert Shklov said. “We just want them to come up and guard, and then we attack, but we lose a little bit of aggressiveness. That’s something we’re going to have to discuss as coaches and do better down the stretch.”

Two foul shots by Robben cut the lead to one, and a takeaway and layup by Parker Grant gave Maryknoll the lead for good, 35-34, with 2:42 left. A roof by 7-foot sophomore Sage Tolentino on Kahue-Parker in the paint was part of an 11-2 run to close the contest. Tolentino finished with seven points, 10 rebounds and four blocks for Maryknoll (18-1 overall).

Mid-Pacific’s strong preseason raised expectations, but the Owls are 0-2 in league play after two heartbreakers. Damien rallied for a 60-57 overtime win at Mid-Pacific on Friday.

“We’re proud of them. They’ve proved that on back-to-back nights, No. 1 and No. 2, they’re right there. Of course, it’s disappointing, but it’s only a failure if you don’t learn from it,” Shklov said. “Their work and their effort is not for nothing. It’s going to come back. It’s a long season.”

Mid-Pacific (12-7 overall) hosts ‘Iolani and former MPI coach Ryan Hirata on Tuesday.