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Unless the blood pressure increases by at least 15%, it’s hard to appreciate or embrace a Maryknoll boys basketball game.
True to his formula all season long, Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant and his Spartans rode the bumpy path to another nail-biting victory. This time, Maryknoll rallied for a 49-41 overtime win over Kalaheo and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Snapple/HHSAA Division I State Boys Basketball Championships.
Niko Robben injured his left ankle with 6:28 left in the first quarter, but finished with 16 points, including eight points during host Maryknoll’s key run in the fourth quarter.
“We’re glad we got the win. We really grinded it out. It was really key that our bench players stepped up and gave us the motivation and the drive to push through,” Robben said.
One of those reserves, Reggie Eiland, absorbed two crucial charging fouls in the fourth quarter. Noah Furtado then took another charge.
“It’s really big, doing that in the clinch of things, fourth quarter and overtime — not only to get the charge, but to foul one of their starters (Kanoa Smith) out,” Robben said. “Coach Kelly says the greatest play in basketball is taking a charge.”
Seven-foot sophomore Sage Tolentino added 12 points and three blocks as the Spartans improved to 9-2 in games decided by six points or less. Interscholastic League of Honolulu runner-up Maryknoll (28-4 overall) will meet Kamehameha-Hawaii on Wednesday at Moanalua’s gym. Senior Liko Soares, playing with a meniscus injury, added six points and a key assist during the final quarter.
Kalaheo (21-11 overall) had the right game plan for a Maryknoll team that was 10-1 at home coming into the state tourney. Only one Hawaii team has beaten Maryknoll: top-ranked Kamehameha. Kalaheo almost became the second.
“I like ’em,” Kalaheo coach Rob Pardini said of Maryknoll. “They’re patient and very good in situational stuff. I’m also proud of our boys. They played hard. We just didn’t execute when it really counted. We gave stuff away at the end.”
The visitors played tough-nosed basketball and took a 21-16 lead after Smith’s 3-pointer with 2:40 left in the first half.
Kalaheo’s switch to a matchup zone presented some problems for the home team. Maryknoll shot 3-for-9 in the second quarter as Kalaheo surged to a 22-17 halftime lead.
The Spartans made up ground in the third period behind Tolentino. He scored in the paint on back-to-back plays and had a steal and one of his blocks as Maryknoll regained the lead. The Spartans led 28-26 entering the final stanza.
Kalaheo’s 6-5 center, Andrew Jones (nine points), fouled out during that stretch. However, after a technical foul on Maryknoll’s Parker Grant — he clapped while looking at Ryan Owens after an Owens foul — Smith sank two foul shots for a 36-34 Kalaheo lead with 2:33 left.
Then the Mustangs had the ball three times and committed the three crucial charging fouls. The latter play resulted in Smith’s fifth foul with 1:56 to go.
Luke Pardini had a chance to increase Kalaheo’s lead, but missed the front of a 1-and-1, and reserve forward Anthony Caswell fouled Robben on the rebound. Robben sank both free throws to tie the game at 36 with 48.7 seconds left in regulation.
Kalaheo held the ball for a final shot, but Pardini’s 24-footer missed at the buzzer.
From there, Furtado came up with a steal for a bucket. With Tolentino patrolling the paint, the Mustangs couldn’t get much going inside without Owens, who fouled out with 2:48 to go.
Furtado then sank two foul shots moments later as Maryknoll opened a 41-36 lead with 1:55 remaining in OT.
After a free throw by Grant increased the Maryknoll lead to six points, a 3-point bank shot by Pardini cut that margin in half with 1:24 left.
Tolentino came up clutch with two free throws for a 44-39 lead with 1:19 to go. Robben put the exclamation point on the win with a breakaway dunk for a nine-point lead with 30 seconds left.
Kalaheo didn’t score again until reserve Jonah Lene scored on a layup in the final seconds.
Damien 58, Lahainaluna 49
Jake Holtz finished with 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Monarchs (9-7) into the quarterfinals against host OIA champion Moanalua on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Hayden Bayudan had 10 points, four rebounds and two steals and Kenneth Mitchell chipped in eight points and eight rebounds off the bench for Damien, which played in its first Division I state-tournament game since 1974 and won its first game ever in the winner’s bracket in D-I.
Tre Rickard led three players in double figures with 17 points for the Lunas (12-2).
Leilehua 82, Waiakea 53
Logan Lasell (20 points) and Landyn Jumawan combined for 39 points and hit eight 3-pointers to help the Mules roll over the host Warriors with their biggest margin of victory ever in a winner’s bracket game.
Jumawan added seven of 21 steals made by Leilehua (14-1), which advances to play No. 1 seed Kamehameha on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at McKinley.
Davon Newman added 13 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals for the Mules, while Kiai Apele had a team-high 16 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals to lead Waiakea (10-4).
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