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The underdogs from Kalani did the near-impossible, limiting Maryknoll’s 1-2 punch of Aloha and Mahalo Akaka to six points.
It still wasn’t enough. Lilly Koki hustled for 14 points and seven rebounds, and Serenity Moananu scored six of her 12 points in the first three minutes as No. 3 Maryknoll pulled away for a 59-42 win over Kalani in the opening round of the Snapple/HHSAA Girls Basketball State Championships.
Maryknoll (17-7) advanced to the quarterfinal round and will meet Oahu Interscholastic Association champion Kahuku on Thursday at Kalani’s gym. The Spartans visited Kahuku in preseason and won handily, 58-32.
“They just came back from Hilo. They were tired. They’re a different team now,” Maryknoll coach Chico Furtado said. “We have to be healthy and better.”
Maryknoll will count on Koki and Moananu to battle one of the state’s best rebounding units, but first, it needs to get healthy.
“I feel like there were a lot of mismatches tonight, but me and the twins (Aloha and Mahalo Akaka) were kind of sick and not feeling well,” Moananu said. “So Coach wanted to minimize our minutes.”
The Spartans were very efficient in the paint against Kalani’s man-to-man defense, shooting 18-for-35 on 2-point shots. Koki was aggressive from the start.
“We had to play big today. We had to recognize our mismatches,” Koki said.
However, the Spartans were 5-for-35 from the 3-point arc. The Akaka sisters were ill, but still contributed. Aloha Akaka had a team-high six assists and Mahalo Akaka grabbed seven rebounds.
“We tried to manage minutes tonight because we’ve got girls under the weather. They hit shots and put up a fight, that’s for sure. And we fouled too much,” Furtado said. “The sisters (Jennesice and Jennicia Sueing) did well in the first half.”
Kalani closed the season 11-10 overall. Coach Justice Sueing implored his team to play tough defense, and they did. Rebounding was a major challenge. Maryknoll won that battle 45-33 and collected 26 offensive rebounds
A modest Monday night crowd at Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium saw the visiting Falcons rally from a 13-point deficit to close within 34-30 after back-to-back 3-pointers by junior Hallie Birdsong.
From there, Maryknoll was in command. Koki hustled for a follow shot and Moananu got inside for a fast-break layup and a reverse layup to open Maryknoll’s lead to 40-32 at the end of three quarters.
The Spartans then went on a 17-2 run to open the final quarter and never looked back. Koki splashed a straightaway 3 and Aloha Akaka scored on a fast-break layup. Koki then swished a 3 from the left wing, Kyla Neumann sank a foul shot and Mahealani Choy Foo scored on a pull-up bank shot for a 51-34 Maryknoll lead with 4:18 left.
Kalani got no closer than 13 the rest of the way.
Birdsong finished with 22 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the field and 9-for-11 at the free-throw line. She also had four rebounds and just two turnovers. Center Jennesice Sueing had a double-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds and a block.
Getting to the foul line helped the Falcon, who shot 19-for-27 (70 percent). Maryknoll was 8-for-14.
Waiakea 55, Mililani 42
Keeli-Jade Smith led three Warriors in double figures with 15 points as Waiakea advanced to play MIL champion Lahainaluna in the quarterfinals on Thursday at 5 p.m. at Moanalua.
The Warriors (11-3) beat the Lunas by 16 points in a preseason tournament in December.
Destynee Williams added 13 points and Kelsie Imai finished with 10 points, five assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks for Waiakea. Kayla Tansiongco had 12 points to lead the Trojans (11-3).
King Kekaulike 61, Radford 35
Cailyn Ukida and Ledjan Pahukoa scored 12 points apiece for Na Alii (11-5), who forced 31 turnovers to advance to the quarterfinals against BIIF champion Konawaena on Thursday at 7 p.m. at Kalani.
Pahukoa added seven steals to help King Kekaulike win a game in the D-I state tournament for just the second time ever.
Angel Asaah led the Rams (11-3) with a game-high 19 points and 11 rebounds.
Moanalua 34, Kaiser 28
Manu Itula did a little bit of everything for Na Menehune, finishing with seven points, eight rebounds and six steals to help Moanalua advance to the quarterfinals, where it will host defending champion and top seed ‘Iolani on Thursday at 7 p.m.
Moanalua (11-4) forced 28 turnovers and held the Cougars (9-7) to 20.5% shooting (9-for-44) from the field.
Breanne Louis-Merry chipped in seven points and nine rebounds for Moanalua. Jodie Otani and Tanya Blakeney had eight points to lead Kaiser.
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