In the end, Kamehameha got clutch plays from top to bottom, and now the state of the ILH boys basketball race is in upheaval.
The fifth-ranked Warriors got 23 points from Kaeler Kahana and a clutch free throw by Fatu Sua-Godinet with 3.1 seconds left to rally past No. 3 Saint Louis 71-70 before a robust crowd of about 500 at Kekuhaupio Gymnasium.
The loss cost Saint Louis (6-3 ILH) a chance to clinch the regular-season title and secure an automatic state-tournament berth. Now Kamehameha (5-4) is one of several teams with a shot to catch the Crusaders as the regular season ends on Thursday.
“We’ve got to come back on Thursday and win at home against Punahou,” Crusaders coach Allan Silva said. “Our guys played hard. We made some turnovers at the end, but I’m proud of them.”
Saint Louis led 22-12 in the opening quarter, but after starters Tristan Nichols (23 points, 14 rebounds) and Noa Purcell (eight points) got into foul trouble, the visitors’ momentum stalled. Kamehameha chipped away without ceasing.
“Coach (Greg Tacon) said we were getting looks at the basket, but we needed to get to the rim,” said Peter Hanohano-Hashimoto.
Normally a mid-range shooter, the forward stepped out to the 3-point arc and drilled a huge 3-pointer to give Kamehameha a 70-68 lead with 1:05 to play.
Moments later, Nichols scored at point-blank range on a feed from Jett Tanuvasa to tie the game. But Jaymason Nunuha (17 points) injured his right calf on the play. After a Warriors time out with 13.8 seconds left, Sua-Godinet drove into the paint and drew contact with Saint Louis forward Chris Sykes.
With two shots at the foul line, Sua-Godinet missed the first. After a Saint Louis timeout, he swished the second. Saint Louis managed to get off a 40-foot heave by Tanuvasa at the buzzer, but it missed left.
“Our coaches fired us up and told us we had to give our best effort,” said Hanohano-Hashimoto, who took only one shot in the entire game. “No matter the outcome, they said they would be happy.”
Kamehameha will host Mid-Pacific on Thursday. ‘Iolani, which also won on Tuesday and is 5-4, will entertain Maryknoll. Punahou (5-4), which defeated Maryknoll on Tuesday, is in position to throw the standings into a loop when it travels to Saint Louis on Thursday.
PREP BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD
ILH Division I Boys
| At Kekuhaupio Gymnasium |
| Saint Louis (6-3) |
14 |
20 |
23 |
13 |
— |
70 |
| Kamehameha (5-4) |
10 |
19 |
24 |
18 |
— |
71 |
SAINT LOUIS—Jett Tanuvasa 5, Jaymason Nunuha 17, Zach Choo 0, Junior Wily 0, Vincenzo Mola 0, Noah Browne 0, Isaac Slade-Matautia 16, Chris Sykes 1, Noa Purcell 8, Tristan Nichols 23.
KAMEHAMEHA—Jayden Zarriello 3, Kamren Victorino-Kato 6, Saint Gelacio 0, Noah Gelacio 8, Fatu Sua-Godinet 11, Peter Hanohano-Hashiomoto 3, Kobe Young 6, Kaeler Kahana 23, Pono Arias 9, Nakoa Pauole 0, Andrew Aleki 2.
3-point goals—Saint Louis 4 (Nunuha 3, Purcell). Kamehameha 5 (N. Gelacio 2, Hanohano-Hashimoto, Sua-Godinet, Young).
No. 2 ‘Iolani 64,
No. 9 Mid-Pacific 52
Robby Mann scored 20 points, Zach Gelacio added 12 and Hugh Hogland had 11 in the Raiders’ victory over the Owls.
‘Iolani went 26-for-28 from the free-throw line.
Justin Daise had 13 points for Mid-Pacific, which led 18-11 after the first quarter.
| At Mid-Pacific |
| ‘Iolani (5-4) |
11 |
17 |
20 |
16 |
— |
64 |
| Mid-Pacific (3-6) |
18 |
9 |
12 |
13 |
— |
52 |
‘IOLANI—Helam Baldomero 8, Robby Mann 20, Zach Gelacio 12, Nick Kennedy 9, Noah Bumanglag 0, Justin Genovia 4, Bailey Alabanza 0, Cameron Chang 0, Hugh Hogland 11.
MID-PACIFIC—Cody Mita 0, Hooper LeBlanc 0, Isaiah Browning 3, Danny Florenco 4, Travis Murayama 0, Jacen Kimura 11, Travis Hayashi 0, Zion Shepherd 10, Major Davis 0, Justin Daise 13, Logan Hutchinson 11.
3-point goals—‘Iolani 6 (Baldomero 2, Mann 2, Gelacio, Kennedy). Mid-Pacific 2 (Browning, Kimura).
No. 6 Punahou 56,
No. 7 Maryknoll 41
Cole Arceneaux scored 12 points and the Buffanblu got off to a fast start in a victory over the Spartans.
Jaylen Cain finished with 10 points for Maryknoll, which trailed 20-8 after the first quarter.
| At Punahou |
| Maryknoll (3-6) |
8 |
15 |
10 |
8 |
— |
41 |
| Punahou (5-4) |
20 |
13 |
8 |
15 |
— |
56 |
MARYKNOLL–Isiah Gelacio 9, Michael Mercado-Smith 0, Jordyn Perez 5, Daven Pila 2, Makoto Kamata 0, Hayato Kamata 9, Kekahi Tam 0, Kainoa Ferreira 4, Jaylen Cain 10, Kaulana Schmidt 1, Payton Grant 0, Andreas Jankovic 0, Brian Washington 1, Tafari Tenchi Robinson 0, Everett McDaniel 0.
PUNAHOU–Cole Arceneaux 12, Zayne Chong 4, Hunter Hosoda 0, Maninoa Tufono 0, Kyle Yoshino 1, Hunter Lee 5, Christopher Kobayashi 5, ‘Akahi Troske 8, Cole Mausolf 6, Kaulana Makaula 2, Jack-Eli Thompson-Tufono 0, Jared Lum 8, Tamatoa Falatea 0, Duke Clemens 5, Falcon Kaumatule 0.
3-point goals–Maryknoll 2 (Gelacio, H. Kamata). Punahou 4 (Mausolf 2, Kobayashi, Lee).
ILH Division II Boys
University 57,
Hanalani 38
Ryan Hobus scored 14 points and Micah Agcaoili and Charlie Fox each added 10 as the Jr. ’Bows beat the Royals.
Hanalani’s Aaron Leong finished with 15 points.
| At Hanalani |
| Hanalani (3-8) |
11 |
10 |
3 |
14 |
— |
38 |
| University (9-2) |
12 |
18 |
16 |
11 |
— |
57 |
HANALANI—Jesse Leaman 3, Jacob Saito 4, Reyn Romero 0, Aaron Leong 15, Tyler Iguchi 3, Hiraku Sakuri 0, Chad Wakabayashi 0, Herbert Cacal 0, Jadin Kam 10, Zane Pantil 3.
UNIVERSITY—Lachlan MacLeod 8, Micah Agcaoili 10, Anson Canencia 8, Charlie Fox 10, Keawe Tong 0, Ryan Hobus 14, Bryan Canencia 0, Radyn Kaleikini 4, Otto Taylor 3, Leif Fautanu 0.
3-point goals—Hanalani 5 (Kam 2, Leong 2, Iguchi). University 5 (Agcaoili 2, MacLeod 2, Taylor).
Damien 61, St. Francis 51
Kolin Galdiano scored 14 points, Seth Daniels added 12 and Storm Maldonado had 11 as the Monarchs handed the Saints their first league loss of the season.
| At Damien |
| St. Francis (11-1) |
11 |
14 |
16 |
13 |
— |
54 |
| Damien (6-4) |
15 |
10 |
15 |
21 |
— |
61 |
ST. FRANCIS—Supilani Mailei 20, Kameron Ng 10, Noah Kurosawa 6, Boris Vukovic 6, Bubba Akana 2, JJ Paaluhi-Caulk 4, Isaac C. 6.
DAMIEN—Jayvee Quines 3, Kolin Galdiano 14, Malik Adeniji 4, Storm Maldonado 11, Joseph Torres 5, Shaun Apiki 3, Crumel Mooring 3, Rekeeb Craig 6, Seth Daniels 12.
3-point goals—St. Francis 4 (Kurosawa 2, Ng 2). Damien 6 (Galdiano 3, Craig, Maldonado, Torres).
ILH Division III Boys
Island Pacific 49, Damien 45
Mana Kaululaau scored 21 points as the Navigators beat the Monarchs.
| At Damien |
| IPA (6-5) |
9 |
12 |
15 |
13 |
— |
49 |
| Damien (5-5) |
9 |
13 |
12 |
11 |
— |
45 |
ISLAND PACIFIC—Jake Lundstrom 7, Jacob Weinhardt 3, Kaipo Orosco 9, Micah Lum 7, Chris Ginson 2, Mana Kaululaau 21.
DAMIEN—Kapili Livingston Lopez 5, Hakeem Adeniji 8, Jared Miller 15, Dalton Thompson 2, Noah Lorica 8, Mark Gamboa 4, Braedan Marumoto 3, Ed Ryan Balbuena 0.
3-point goals—Island Pacific 6 (Kaululaau 2, Orosco 2, Lum, Weinhardt). Damien 4 (Miller 2, Lorica 2).
ILH Division I Girls Playoffs
Kamehameha 57,
Sacred Hearts 38
Mikiala Maio scored 14 points and Kiana Vierra added 11 as the Warriors beat the Lancers in the tournament play-in game.
The Warriors will play at Maryknoll at 6 p.m. today.
Rachel McDaniel had 10 points for Sacred Hearts.
| At Kamehameha |
| Sacred Hearts (1-12) |
9 |
6 |
15 |
8 |
— |
38 |
| Kamehameha (3-10) |
12 |
12 |
18 |
15 |
— |
57 |
SACRED HEARTS—Zoe-Ann Yamamoto 8, Rebekah Auld 0, Pakalana Kam 4, Kyla Nascimento 0, Dallas Martinez 7, Rachel McDaniel 10, Jessica Hanashiro 3, Ka’iulani Harrington 0, SadeMizusawa 5, Shaydee Afoa 1, Ui Apao 0.
KAMEHAMEHA—Bailey Chan 0, Keeana Andres 5, Jewel Paaluhi-Caulk 9, Rylee-Ann Kauahikaua 8, Krista-Denise Matsumura 0, Starr Richardson 2, Mikiala Maio 14, Kiana Vierra 11, Cassidy Keola 0, Kalina Obrey 8, Anoipua Kaaloa 0.
3-point goals—Sacred Hearts 2 (McDaniel 2). Kamehameha 3 (Andres, Paaluhi-Caulk, Vierra).
BIIF Boys
Varsity
Kohala 49, Hawaii Prep 46.
Leading scorers—Koh: Kainalu Emiliano-Solomon 17, Chance Pang 12. HPA: Jonas Skupeika 22.
OIA white Boys JV
Semifinals
Waipahu 69, Castle 28
Aiea 65, Kalani 44
