Robert Wright III scored 36 points as Neumann-Goretti (Pa.) edged Mount St. Joseph (Md.), 76-72, in double overtime to capture the ‘Iolani Classic championship on Wednesday night.
“We played a tough team and came out on top. I love my guys. We played hard, we played together. We had people hurt, in foul trouble, but we got it done,” Wright said.
Just 24 hours earlier, MSJ had upset the nation’s No. 1 team, Montverde (Fla.). But again, the Saints trailed by double-digits early. They rallied, however, and pushed the game into extra time. Wright was simply too clutch.
Sultan Adewale, a 6-foot-8 senior, added 17 points and Amir Williams had 12, including a clutch 3 with 10 seconds left to seal the title.
Amani Hansberry led MSJ with 24 points and 16 rebounds. Austin Abrams added 18 points, Tyonne Farrell had 13 and Brashawn Galloway had 12.
Wright persisted and scored on a tough drive among the giants to give his team a 73-72 lead with 1:01 left. Abrams then turned the ball over on a lob attempt to Farrell. With a seven-second differential between the game clock and shot clock, Neumann-Goretti ran the clock down before Williams knocked down a corner 3 with 10 seconds left, clinching the Saints’ first ‘Iolani Classic championship.
Wright was a boss from start to finish, his poise and control creating success in the paint for the Saints.
“Just studying guards like Chris Paul, Damian Lillard, Sharife Cooper, guys like that. Practicing and working all the time,” Wright added.
The Saints roared to a 7-0 lead and built it to 16-4 late in the first quarter. Coming off their huge upset of No. 1 Montverde the night before, Mount St. Joseph was a step slower and struggled against Neumann-Goretti’s 2-3 zone — until the second quarter.
Hansberry found his groove in the post and scored seven of his nine first-half points. After Ace Valentine rebounded and fed Abrams on the fast break, the Gaels were within 27-26 .
Wright put a damper on that run, however, with a steal at midcourt moments later, and hitting both ends of a one-and-one with 2.3 seconds left in the first half. The Saints led 29-26.
Neumann-Goretti went on an 18-8 run, opening the lead to 47-34 with 2:48 left in the third. MSJ fought back and took a 59-57 lead on an Abrams 3. Adewale’s follow tip with 3 seconds left in regulation forced overtime.
The first overtime went back and forth. Farrell’s free throws gave MSJ a 67-65 lead with 16.3 seconds left, but Wright answered with a drive for two, tying the game with 4 seconds left in OT, leading to a second extra period.
Montverde (Fla.) 79, Milton (Ga.) 45
Cooper Flagg, a 6-8 sophomore, scored 16 points to lead the Eagles. Derik Queen added 13 and Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn tallied 12 in the third-place game.
The game was tied at 17 after one quarter.
Seth Fitzgerald had 15 points to lead Milton, also nicknamed Eagles. Avery White had 12 and Josh Dixon added 10.
Millennium (Ariz.) 70, Mount Vernon (N.Y.) 59
Sophomore Kingston Tosi scored 20 points while Brayden Burnett and freshman Cameron Holmes added 15 each in the fifth-place contest.
Dylan Colon led the Knights with 18 points.
Lake Oswego 64, ‘Iolani 55
Winters Grady, a 6-8 sophomore wing, overcame foul trouble to finish with 29 points as the Lakers outlasted the Raiders in the seventh-place game.
Grady finished the tournament with 123 points, an average of 30.8 points per game.
Max Archambo added 15 points and Owen Alles tallied 10.
Casey Lyons and Alika Indalecio scored 13 points each for ‘Iolani. Aidan Wong chipped in 10.
The home team started out slowly in the first half and again in the second. The Lakers opened the lead to 12 points, 32-20, before the Raiders went on a 12-3 run to get back in the game. Grady then took command in the fourth quarter after returning with four fouls.
Saint Louis 66, Radford 45
Sophomore Pupu Sepulona scored 17 points and freshman Keanu Meacham added 11 for the Crusaders in consolation play.
Hawkins Souffrant led the Rams with 12 points.
Punahou 70, Leilehua 51
Dillon Kellner scored 18 points and Ayndra Uperesa-Thomas had 16 for the Buffanblu, who led 24-10 after one quarter.
Pule Atualevao and Willie Cooper led the Mules with 11 points apiece.
Maryknoll 62, Baldwin 33
Justin Yap scored 14 points and Hunter Marumoto added 12 for the Spartans.
Jay-Kwon Torres-Leeber paced Baldwin with 12 points.
Kamehameha 61, Moanalua 60
Chaseton Ponteras scored 15 points, hitting 6-for-7 at the free-throw line, to lead the Warriors. Christian Togiai and Kaina Watson added 12 points each.
Skylar Miyasato paced Moanalua with 23 points.
—
Robert Wright III was named most valuable player of the ‘Iolani Classic after leading Neumann-Goretti (Pa.) to its first championship.
The senior guard scored 23 points in the Saints’ 68-42 win over Maryknoll and 20 as they ousted Lake Oswego (Ore.), 75-59.
He again stepped up with 25 points in a 56-50 semifinal win over Milton (Ga.), but saved his best for the title game.
Wright poured in 36 points in the 76-72 double-overtime win over Mount St. Joseph (Md.), adding four assists and three steals. The Baylor-bound guard finished the Classic averaging 26 points per game.
Mount St. Joseph senior Amani Hansberry was named most outstanding player. He averaged 19 points per game, and had 24 points and 16 rebounds in the title-game loss to Neumann-Goretti.
The tournament’s highest scorer was 6-foot-8 sophomore Winters Grady of Lake Oswego, who averaged 30.8 points per game.
All-Tournament
MVP: Robert Wright III, Neumann-Goretti (Pa.)
MOP: Amani Hansberry, Mount St. Joseph (Md.)
Skylar Miyasato, Moanalua
Zelston Militante, Leilehua
Dillon Kellner, Punahou
Justin Yap, Maryknoll
Pupu Sepulona, Saint Louis
Taniela Taliauli, ‘Iolani
Winters Grady, Lake Oswego (Ore.)
Cameron Holmes, Millennium (Ariz.)
Kinston Tosi, Millennium (Ariz.)
Tavien Tyler, Mount Vernon (N.Y.)
Avery White, Milton (Ga.)
Josh Dixon, Milton (Ga.)
Seth Fitzgerald, Milton (Ga.)
Cooper Flagg, Montverde (Fla.)
Kwame Evans, Montverde (Fla.)
Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn, Montverde (Fla.)
Khaafiq Myers, Neumann-Goretti (Pa.)
Sultan Adewale, Neumann-Goretti (Pa.)
