Inspired Kalaheo tops Kaimuki, 51-46

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Mililani's Jonovan Santos, left, blocks the shot of McKinley's Abel Werner. Mikhail Mabry, right, helped out on the play. Photos Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Kaimuki's Nick Milan grabs a rebound in the first quarter while playing against Kalaheo.

Kalaheo's Sam Wilhoite watches as the basketball slips through his hands while trying to grab a rebound in the second quarter.

OIA basketball Varsity tournament Yesterday At Kalaheo Semifinals Mililani 57, McKinley 54 Kalaheo 51, Kaimuki 46 Tomorrow At McKinley Third place — McKinley vs. Kaimuki, 6:30 p.m. Championship — Mililani vs. Kalaheo, 8 p.m. Oceanic Cable (OC-16) will televise the third-place and championship games live.

The Mustangs (12-1) will play Mililani (12-0) for the title at 8 p.m. tomorrow at McKinley's Student Council Gym. Mililani rallied past McKinley, 57-54, in last night's first semifinal at Kalaheo.

The most dramatic moment of the nightcap may have occurred before tipoff, when Smith — who guided the Mustangs to 14 OIA titles and state tournament appearances in all 18 of his seasons as head coach — joined the team on the Kalaheo bench.

Smith, 50, suffered a heart attack following colon cancer surgery last Halloween and had spent two weeks in a coma-like state before gradually gaining back his senses. He was transferred to the Rehab Hospital of the Pacific in December and finally returned home on Jan. 16, where he has been recovering ever since.

Last night's game was the first he attended since the heart attack.

Smith appeared to be at least 50-60 pounds lighter than he was during his coaching tenure and still is not as mobile as he once was, but he was full of smiles and encouragement throughout the game and afterward.

"He had a wonderful time," said his wife, Stacey.

The Mustangs' performance certainly helped.

Junior guard Theo Fujita scored a game-high 21 points, including five 3-pointers, and senior center Sam Wilhoite added 14 hard-earned points against a collapsing Bulldogs zone.

"It was really emotional before the game," said Fujita, who played for Smith as a freshman and sophomore. "He looked a lot different, but I know his heart was still there and it really motivated me."

Kalaheo coach Chico Furtado, who was Smith's top assistant for 13 years, said he was a little concerned about the emotion being a distraction, but said his team stayed focused throughout.

"I had tears in my eyes telling the kids before the game that he would be here," Furtado said. "But if he wanted to be on the bench with us, I wasn't going to say no. I mean, Pete Smith is what this place is all about."

The Mustangs clung to a 24-21 lead at halftime, but Fujita drained two 3s to spark an 11-4 run to start the third period. Kaimuki closed to 47-46 on Jimmy Miyasaka's three-point play with 25 seconds remaining in the game, but Fujita and Neil Bowers combined to sink four free throws to seal the victory.

Miyasaka led the Bulldogs with 19 points.

Kaimuki (10-4) 13 8 7 18 — 46
Kalaheo (12-1) 16 8 13 14 — 51

KAIMUKI—Davey Nguyen 0, Isaiah Ano 6 , Dexter Tautofi 0, Tone Faasoa 4, Jimmy Miyasaka 19, Kekoa Onaga 9, Nick Milan 8. Totals 18 7-7 46.

KalAheo—Chris Tumaneng 2, Matt Nakashima 0, Theo Fujita 21, William Elliott 6, Neil Bowers 4, Joshua Perry 2, David Moore 2, Daniel Phair 0, Sam Wilhoite 14. Totals 17 10-12 51.

3-point goals—Kaimuki 3 (Miyasaka 2, Onaga 1). Kalaheo 7 (Fujita 5, Elliot 2).

Millani 57, McKinley 54: Alex Patykula scored a game-high 22 points, including 12 in the fourth period, to help the Trojans rally past the Tigers.

Abel Werner's double-pump layup to start the fourth quarter gave McKinley a 41-30 lead, but Mililani employed a full-court press and Scott Neumann capped a 15-2 run for the Trojans with a bank shot with 3:10 remaining. Mililani never trailed again.

Lokahi Holder's leaning 3-point attempt from 22 feet, which would have sent the game into overtime if successful, glanced off the rim as time expired.

Holder scored 18 points and Werner 17 for McKinley, which used only six players to Mililani's 10.

"I thought we were fresher than them at times, although the press did take a lot of energy," said Patykula, a senior guard.

Scott Neumann added 10 points for the Trojans. His brother Puna, their leading scorer, dislocated his right (shooting) shoulder with 4:28 remaining in the game and did not return. Puna Neumann said he might be able to play tomorrow.

McKinley (9-5) 10 14 15 15 — 54
Mililani (12-0) 9 12 9 27 — 57

MCKINLEY—Mark Nakatsuka 2, Abel Werner 17, Kapena Quisan 10 , Iakopo Taumua 1, Lokahi Holder 18, Joshua Valdez 6. Totals 17 16-22 54.

MILILANI—Puna Neumann 7, Scott Neumann 10, Aaron Kanno 0, Clarence Gray 3, Andrew Tokumi 4, Alex Patykula 22, Jon Santos 2, Nick Rogers 9, Mikhail Mabry 0. Totals 19 16-18 57.

3-point goals—McKinley 4 (Valdez 2, Quisano, Werner). Mililani 3 (Patykula 2, Rogers).

ILH TOURNAMENT

Saint Louis 54, University High 50: The Crusaders made 9 of 18 free throws in the final quarter, including two by Stephen Lei for a 54-50 lead with two seconds left, to hold off the Junior 'Bows.

Kulia Aiona scored 17 points to lead Saint Louis. Scott Nishimoto led UHS with 18 points.

Saint Louis (4-11) 14 15 14 11—54
University High (5-10) 8 10 19 13—50

SAINT LOUIS—B.J. Batts 2, Bo Ronduen 4, Kulia Aiona 17, Ryan Brilhante 2, Elliott Purcell 0, Keli'i Zablan 0, Stephen Lei 6, Cameron Bayne 9, Jacob Barit 10, Bronson Abrigo 0, Brandon Vaa 4. Totals 21 9-21 54.

UNIVERSITY—Scott Nishimoto 18, A.J. Clark 2, John Duro 3, Michael Tenario 1, James Cabras 7, Albert Li 1, Lucion Holyfield 12, David Johnson 6. Totals 17 12-23 50.

3-point goals—Saint Louis 3 (Aiona). University High 4 (Nishimoto).

Reported by Steve Lewis

Mid-Pacific 55, Word of Life 42: The host Owls jumped to a 14-2 lead and never trailed.

Chris Perry led Mid-Pacific with 17 points and Chris Freshour and Josh Mitchell added 14 and 12, respectively. Brashton Satele had 17 points to lead the Firebrands.

Word of Life (12-2) 2 14 16 10—42
Mid-Pacific (7-8) 12 10 16 17—55

WORD OF LIFE—Chad Siu 5, Michael Baas 2, Shane Lawrence 6, Gilbert Gonzalez 1, Andrew Rutherford 0, Brashton Satele 17, Maika McWayne 0, Koa Pickard 8, Carl Montiho 0, Jorge Torres 3, Jordan Ranche 0. Totals 14 13-22 42.

MID-PACIFIC—Burton Woodhull 2, Josh Mitchell 12, Chris Perry 17, Ryan Chun 2, JD Lum 2, Kellen Hastie 4, Chris Freshour 14, Bryson Beirne 2. Totals 18 19-28 55.

3-point goals—Word of Life 1 (Siu). Mid-Pacific 0.

Reported by Adria Mendoza

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.