By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer
Bobby Webster’s putback with 1.2 seconds to play last night put second-seeded ‘Iolani in tonight’s championship game of the Hawaiian Airlines State Boys Basketball tournament at Stan Sheriff Center.
For the second night in a row, Webster made the winning shot at the end of the game, this time beating Honoka‘a 49-47 to end the Dragons’ 20-game win streak in a semifinal game.
‘Iolani had turned over the ball on four straight possessions as Honoka‘a rallied from 47-42 to tie the score at 47 on Austin Souza’s baseline drive. The Raiders got it back with 33.5 seconds left when freshman Derrick Low drew a foul as a Honoka‘a player drove for an apparent go-ahead basket that was nullified by the foul.
"I was sagging (toward the basket) and saw him driving so I stepped in front of him," Low said.
‘Iolani called time with 12.2 seconds left and set up a back-door layup with Tyler McCready passing to Low. Low missed the shot but Webster was there to put it back.
"I got the pass a little behind the backboard and couldn’t get it in, but we got a lucky bounce to Bobby," Low said.
Said Webster: "I was in the right place at the right time - two nights in a row - and I got lucky again."
Webster made a layup with 9.8 seconds left Thursday to beat Leilehua 65-63 in overtime.
"We’ve run out of luck. We better play good against KalAheo because we have no more luck in the bank," ‘Iolani coach Mark Mugiishi said.
Though Webster again made the winning basket, the difference in the game was Low, a 14-year-old point guard playing in his first final four and his first game at the Stan Sheriff Center, before more than 2,605 screaming fans.
Low scored 20 points, making 8 of 13 shots, 4 of 5 free throws and dishing four assists. Though handling the ball on nearly every possession, he had only three turnovers.
"It felt good," Low said.
Cheyenne Meyer, Honoka‘a coach, was distraught. "It was a devastating loss," he said. "We were down seven at the half and we came back. I thought we outplayed them in the second half."
Meyer did not agree with the charging call. "I don’t want to point fingers or anything, but I didn’t think that was a charge. That was our lead right there, a three-point play, but he (referee Thomas Yoshida) thought otherwise."
Honoka‘a, the Big Island champion, third-seeded and No. 3 in the state media/coaches poll, dropped to 14-1 and 23-4. The Dragons had not lost since December.
‘Iolani, champion of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, is 13-1 and 21-4. The Raiders’ only loss since preseason in December was to St. Louis 57-55 in overtime on Feb. 2.
Kyle Sakamoto contributed to this report.
HONOKA‘A 16 10 11 10—47
‘IOLANI 18 15 8 8—49
Honoka‘a-Derek Gabriel 11, Kaniela Aiona 7, Ryan Cann 0, Austin Souza 12, Erwin Valenzuela 0, Kenny Ruiz 7, Edward Aldridge 10.
‘Iolani-Derrick Low 20, Travis McGaughy 2, Bobby Webster 9, Robert Mageo 0, Bronson Melemai 0, Bobby Nash 9, Tyler McCready 9, Joe Udell 0, Jon Grobe 0.
3-point goals-Honoka‘a 6 (Gabriel 2, Souza 2, Ruiz 1, Aiona 1). ‘Iolani 1 (Webster).
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