Aiva Arquette scored 23 points and Hayden Bayudan tallied 18 as No. 1 Saint Louis held on for a 70-62 win over No. 4 Kamehameha in a thriller at Kekuhaupio Gymnasium on Wednesday.
“We haven’t had a game in a couple of weeks. With that came some of the rust, but any time you can walk in here and walk out with a ‘W’ it’s a big win,” Saint Louis coach Dan Hale said.
It was the regular-season opener for both teams. Arquette, who has signed to play baseball at Washington, pumped in 21 first-half points. He also had a team-high 11 rebounds when he wasn’t scoring from deep, midrange and in the low post.
Saint Louis’ biggest lead was 38-20 after a corner 3 by Shoncin Revuelto with more than two minutes before intermission.
The visiting Crusaders led 42-27 at the break.
“That team (Kamehameha) battles and we knew that they were going to make a run,” Hale said. “I’m happy with the way they boys finished that off.”
The Warriors stepped up in the third quarter as Kahiau Bruhn and EJ Kapihe warmed up. Bruhn, at 6 feet, 4 inches, and the 6-5 Kapihe combined for 15 points in the third, and timely 3-pointers by Kalai Smith and Jha-Mel Spencer powered a 21-10 run.
After Spencer splashed a corner 3, Kamehameha was within 52-48 with 1:37 left in the third.
Saint Louis didn’t waver, scoring the last five points of the quarter.
Smith, 6-7 freshman Kyler Wade and Bruhn scored early in the fourth to bring Kamehameha within 57-55, but that was as close as the home team got.
Freshman Pupualii Sepulona stepped up for the Crusaders, scoring six of his 12 points in the final eight minutes. Kapihe, who had four fouls, could do nothing to stop the powerful 6-3 post.
Bayudan weaved through the paint and scored on a reverse layup, then hit two foul shots after Revuelto blocked a Bruhn jumper from behind. After Sepulona scored six points in a row, Saint Louis led 67-60 with less than two minutes to play.
Kamehameha made one of its six 3-point tries in the fourth quarter.
Bruhn finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Kapihe tallied 12 points, nine boards and three blocks.
Saint Louis returning starter AJ Bianco is expected back next week.
