Punahou edges Maryknoll in ILH girls basketball
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
Rachel Kane sank a running banker with 25 seconds remaining and Becky Hogue made a free throw with 14 seconds left to help the Punahou School girls basketball team hold off upstart Maryknoll 62-56 last night at Hemmeter Field House.
Punahou (2-0) is the defending Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion and prohibitive favorite to repeat. But Maryknoll (0-1) closed last night's score to 57-56 with 35 seconds remaining on Michelle Baduria's short bank shot.
On the ensuing transition, however, Kane penetrated down the middle of the lane and knocked down an eight-foot bank shot to put the Buffanblu up 59-56.
The Spartans missed a 3-point attempt on their next possession, and Hogue was fouled immediately. She missed the first of two free throws, but sank the next one after a timeout to give Punahou a 60-56 lead. Maryknoll then missed another 3-point attempt and fouled freshman Shanna-Lei Dacanay with 4.6 seconds left.
Dacanay made both free throws for the final margin.
"You gotta give credit to Maryknoll," first-year Buffanblu coach Mike Taylor said. "They hit some big shots with hands in their face. But the beauty of it is we didn't give up. We stayed patient and persevered."
Kane's final basket was one of several clutch shots she made in the second half, during which she scored all 10 of her points.
"Rachel's a junior, but she plays far beyond her years," Taylor said. "She's a junior only on paper."
Hogue finished with a game-high 25 points, including 16 in the first half. Punahou led 32-26 at intermission, but Baduria drained consecutive 3-pointers to open the second half and tie the score at 32-32.
The Buffanblu built a 47-41 lead with 6:17 remaining in the game, but Maryknoll freshman center Sela Fisilau scored eight points in the final period to help the Spartans rally back.
"That team is close, they all work together," Taylor said. "Sela really stepped it up when they needed her."
Baduria finished with 24 points to lead Maryknoll, and Fisilau added 10 points.
Elyse Umeda had 14 points for Punahou.
Maryknoll (0-1) 12 14 15 15—56
Punahou (2-0) 13 19 12 18—62
Maryknoll — Cheryl Lee 6, Jenna Castillo 10, Diana Samson 1, Sela Fisilau 10, Michelle Baduria 24, Stacey Doran 1, Shannon Riley 1, Whitney Wong 3. Totals 20 10-14 56.
Punahou — Elyse Umeda 14, Becky Hogue 25, Shanna-Lei Dacanay 7, Christine Takara 2, Rachel Kane 10, Sydney Anderson 2, Janelle Shin 2, Anuhea Macfarlane 0. Totals 22 16-25 62.
3-point goals — Maryknoll 6 (Baduria 5, Wong). Punahou 2 (Dacanay, Kane).
KAMEHAMEHA 51, ST. FRANCIS 24: Mounia Nihipali scored 11 points to lead the Warriors past the Troubadours in the ILH opener for both teams at Hemmeter Field House.
The game also marked St. Francis' debut as an ILH Division I team. The Troubadours had won four consecutive Division II championships entering this season.
Liz Narkon scored on a putback early in the second period to help St. Francis tie the score at 10-10, but Megan Kanoa scored six points to lead Kamehameha on a 12-0 run to put the Warriors ahead, 22-10.
Kamehameha opened the second half with a 10-0 run to lead 36-14.
Chelsey Powell led St. Francis with nine points.
Kamehameha (1-0) 10 16 18 7—51
St. Francis (0-1) 8 6 3 7—24
Kamehameha — Mounia Nihipali 11, Courtney Chai 6, Ashley Ruff 5, Chrystal Hudson 5, Kekai Crabb 4, Megan Kanoa 6, Amber Carter 8, Jeneka Taeoali'i 0, India Soo 2, Ho'o Hee 0, Megan Ching 4, Lehua Wood 0. Totals 24 2-6 51.
St. Francis — Chelsey Powell 9, Liz Narkon 6, Annie Llamedo 7, Mandy Llamedo 0, Latasha Griffin 0, Jennifer Lim 1, Jasmine Dulan 0, Lauren Upayayod 1, Bennita Robinson 0, Melanie Keli'ipuleole 0. Totals 10 4-19 24.
3-point goals—Kamehameha 1 (Hudson).
4 Iolani 39, Mid-Pacific 34: Trisha Nishimoto scored 16 points as the Raiders held off the Owls in the ILH opener for both teams.
Mid-Pacific's Stephanie Toshi led all scorers with 17 points.
Mid-pacific (0-1) 4 14 3 13—34
Iolani (1-0) 15 11 5 8—39
Mid-Pacific—Kelli Kajiwara 0, Kristy Minamishin 4, Shannon Nishi 11, Jasmine Vieira 0, Stephanie Toshi 17, Valerie Aficial 0, Talia Onosai 0, Caroline Beddow 2. Totals 11 10-13 34
Iolani—Trisha Nishimoto 16, Jen Nagamine 0, Raeceen Woolford 0, Jackie Sasaki 0, Lana Young 5, Ginger Gravelle 8, Fabriann Gin 4, Kiani Wong 2, Keri Oyadomari 0, Patricia Wong 0, Diana McClain 4. Totals 14 8-13 39.
3-point goals—Mid-Pacific 2 (Nishi, Toshi). Iolani 3 (Nishimoto 2, Gravelle 1).
Sacred Hearts 44, University 26: Brittney Aiwohi scored 10 of her 21 points in the second half, including two 3-pointers as the Lancers routed the Junior Rainbows.
University (0-1) 4 8 1 13—26
Sacred hearts (1-1) 8 11 10 15—44
University—Iwa Yamaguchi 0, Diane Okubo 12, Brittany Anderson 2, Kamaile Durrett 0, Leahi Frias 2, Kylie Lum 0, Karlee Kailiehu 10, Cara Pang 0, Ashley Deguzman 0. Totals 8 10-30 26.
Sacred Hearts—Katie Rutland 7, Cherie Kinoshita 0, Tina Boncales 0, Tamieka Trujillo 0, Brittney Aiwohi 21, Nicole Lehner 2, Shalei Soueira 6, Kim Young 0, Colby Aiwohi 4, Nikki Agor 0, Lani Faumuina 4, Nicole Raiola 0. Totals 15 10-16 44
3-point goals—Sacred Hearts 4 (B. Aiwohi 3, Rutland 1).
Division II
University 36, Hanalani 18. High Scorers: UH—Tara Hiramatsu 9. Hana—Jennifer Ramos 8.
Hawai'i Baptist 42, Iolani 27. High Scorers: HBA—Liza Onuma 12, Chelsea Yasuda 21.
