Taimane Faleafine-Auwae scored 12 points, including 4-for-4 shooting at the free-throw line in the final 24.9 seconds, as No. 3 Maryknoll edged No. 5 Punahou, 43-40, on Wednesday night.
Faleafine-Auwae gave Maryknoll the lead for good, 41-40, with two foul shots. Keilani Stewart missed a 3 for Punahou, and Faleafine-Auwae sank two more charity shots with 13.4 seconds left.
Punahou had a chance to tie the game, but Laynee Torres-Kahapea’s 24-foot attempt missed with 1.6 seconds remaining.
Torres-Kahapea led the Buffanblu with 11 points. Shania Moananu added nine points on three 3-pointers.
“I’m actually surprised I hit the free throws. I haven’t been consistent, so I was trying my best to lock in and do it for my team, and get the dub,” Faleafine-Auwae said.
The game was Maryknoll’s opener in ILH play. The Spartans are 11-1 overall.
“I feel excited for what’s to come for our season, for what I can do and what my team can do. I hope we can produce and play to our level,” said Faleafine-Auwae, one of her team’s two seniors. “Our young kids stepped up when we needed them to.”
Punahou opened league play with a win over Kamehameha on Tuesday and dropped to 1-1 in league play (7-2 overall).
“This is what the season’s all about. This is the ILH,” Punahou coach Gary Pacarro said. “Kamehameha, Damien, Maryknoll, ‘Iolani, we’re going to be battling like this every week. The games are going to be like this all the time. I don’t see it being any different.”
After being a defensive-minded force in previous seasons, Faleafine-Auwae is a clear focal point for Maryknoll’s offense now.
“Taimane had a wonderful game. She was tough in the box. She was awesome,” Pacarro said. “It is what it is. We’ve got to play them two more times.”
Maryknoll’s air-tight man-to-man defense was consistent. The Spartans forced Punahou into 18 turnovers. Torres-Kahapea was a concern for coach Chico Furtado.
“She’s gifted. She has a knowledge of the game, how to attack the basket. She has excellent vision,” he said. “I thought we did an excellent job in the first half, but in the second half, we lost her a couple times. This is the kind of game we’re looking to play, in the high 30s, low 40s. Not trying to get in a track meet.”
The Spartans handled Punahou’s full-court press efficiently in the first half, but they struggled to get open looks. Furtado pleaded with his passers to hit the low post, but Faleafine-Auwae had just five touches on the block, scoring three times.
Despite five first-quarter turnovers, Punahou led 11-7 thanks to 3-pointers from Davina Li and Shania Moananu.
Maryknoll’s man-to-man defense limited the visitors to 1-for-5 shooting from the field in the second quarter, but the Spartans could not take advantage and trailed 16-11 at the break.
Punahou had 13 total turnovers and shot 5-for-12 from the field by intermission.
The Buffanblu opened the second half with a 5-0 mini-run. Moananu’s 3 gave Punahou its biggest lead, 21-11.
The Spartans got a 3 from Hailey Perez and another from Isabella Arrisgado, and after Perez made two free throws, Maryknoll was within 21-19. Madison Guillermo’s corner 3 pushed Maryknoll ahead.
A layup by Li put Punahou back in the lead, but Dylan Neves drove for a bucket at the buzzer, giving Maryknoll a 25-24 lead.
Maryknoll’s momentum carried into the fourth quarter with a bucket by Faleafine-Auwae and another 3 by Guillermo. That capped an 18-4 run, giving the Spartans a 29-25 lead.
The Spartans extended the lead to 35-27 after back-to-back treys by Arrisgado. Punahou then went on an 11-2 run to regain the lead. Moananu’s NBA-range 3 from the right wing lift the Buffanblu to a 38-37 lead.
Faleafine-Auwae worked the low post for a go-ahead bucket with 1:10 remaining, but Torres-Kahapea answered with a drive to the hoop for a 40-39 Punahou lead with 50 seconds to go.
Maryknoll will host No. 10 Damien on Friday. Punahou will visit Damien on Saturday.
