Punahou wins girls ILH basketball title
By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer
Punahou's Milia Macfarlane made Kamehameha pay for leaving her open behind the 3-point arc in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls basketball championship last night at Iolani.
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Macfarlane scored 23 points, including all six of her 3-point attempts, as Punahou defeated Kamehameha, 51-47.
Punahou's Milia Macfarlane drives in the paint to put up a shot over Kamehameha defenders. In the foreground is Kamehameha's Tai Soo (25). The Buffanblu beat the Warriors 51-47 to win the ILH girls basketball championship.
Punahou clinched a berth in the state tournament, which begins May 18.
Kamehameha will play in a seven-team tournament beginning Monday for the ILH's second state berth.
Last night's playoff was necessary because both teams finished with 11-1 records and split during the season.
"I wasn't really planning on shooting 3s," Macfarlane said. "I was given the opportunities being wide open. I was lucky."
Punahou took its largest lead at 19-9 after Macfarlane hit two consecutive 3's, 1:30 into the second quarter.
Kamehameha cut the lead to 25-21 at halftime thanks in large part to 8-of-11 shooting from the free-throw line. Punahou didn't shoot any free throws in the quarter.
The Warriors tied the score at 41 with 5:20 remaining in the game on a basket by Megan Ching.
Macfarlane broke a 43-43 tie with a 3-pointer with 4:22 remaining. After a basket by Kamehameha's Ashley Ruff, Macfarlane hit another 3-pointer to put the Buffanblu up 49-45 with 3:42 remaining. Kamehameha couldn't get closer than three the rest of the way.
"She was open and she needed to take them," Punahou coach Shelley Kahuanui Fey said. "That's what we needed for the team. They weren't necessarily designed, but she needed to take those open shots."
Said Kamehameha coach Clay Cockett: "Quite frankly, we didn't do a good job playing her. We allowed her to get open to some degree."
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Punahou made 15-of-38 field goal attempts and committed 17 turnovers. Kamehameha made 15-of-36 field goal attempts and committed 19 turnovers.
Punahou's varsity girls basketball team celebrates after defeating Kamehameha for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu title. The Buffanblu earned a berth in the state tournament that starts May 18.
"Too many turnovers, we didn't make smart plays," Cockett said. "A lot of credit goes to Punahou. They came out and were really aggressive."
Ching, who led Kamehameha with 16 points, fouled out with 43 seconds remaining. Tai Soo added 14 points.
"I'm relieved," said Macfarlane, who also hit two 3-pointers in the first quarter. "I can breath now. I knew tonight's game was going to be exciting. It could have gone either way."
Punahou will have a 14-day layoff before the state tournament.
"It'll be a good time for us to regroup for teams we don't know too much about," Kahuanui Fey said.
PUNAHOU (12-1) 13 12 11 15—51
KAMEHAMEHA (11-2) 9 12 14 12—47
PUNAHOU—Rachel Kane 8, Elyse Umeda 8, Darci Murakawa 0, Megan Abbott 2, Milia Macfarlane 23, Misha Lam 1, Caroline Ane 3, Kira Kashiwa 0, Nicole Jones 0, Becky Hogue 6.
KAMEHAMEHA—Tiffiny Shinn 1, Ashley Ruff 9, Courtney Chai 0, Lehua Wood 1, Tai Soo 14, Krystalynn Ontai 2, Meagan Kanoa 0, Megan Ching 16, Noelle Russell 4.
3-point goals—Punahou 6 (Macfarlane 6).
