honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, December 20, 2008

Oak Hill pulls away from 'Iolani

Photo gallery: 'Iolani vs. Oak Hill basketball

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

'Iolani's Kainoa Chu draws contact from Oakhill's Glenn Bryant in the second half of an 'Iolani Prep Classic quarterfinal game.

ANDREW SHIMABUKU | The Honolulu Advertiser

spacer spacer

'Iolani played a tight first half with the nation's No. 5-ranked high school boys basketball team yesterday before Oak Hill (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) made a mid-game run and won going away, 80-44, in the quarterfinals of the 25th Annual 'Iolani Prep Classic.

Oak Hill, No. 5 in USA Today's latest Super 25 rankings, will play No. 13 LeFlore (Mobile, Ala.) in tonight's 6:30 semifinal. 'Iolani will face DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) — ranked No. 12 by ESPN Rise — in a 3:30 p.m. consolation bracket game.

Playing before a home crowd of about 800, 'Iolani led Oak Hill, 25-22, midway through the second period on Trevyn Tulonghari's baseline jumper. After a layup by Doron Lamb put the Warriors up, 26-25, Kainoa Chu sank a free throw to tie it at 26-26 with 2:39 remaining in the half.

But Oak Hill finished the half with an 8-0 run and then began the third period by scoring the first six points to take a 40-26 lead. Kainoa Scheer finally broke the run with two free throws with 6:20 left in the period, and a layup by Pablo Warner cut it to 44-30 two minutes later.

But another layup by Lamb started another 6-0 run and the Warriors were up, 50-30, with 2:31 remaining. The Raiders could get no closer than 18 points the rest of the way.

"We came out with tons of energy and confidence (in the first half), but then I think we started to get fatigued in the second half and they were more disciplined than us," said Warner, a 6-foot-1 forward who finished with a team-high 18 points, including four 3-pointers in the first half. "In the first half we had more patience (on offense), but in the second half we weren't as focused."

Oak Hill coach Steve Smith said his team needed to stay patient while 'Iolani ran its trademark half-court offense in the first half.

"(The Raiders) played the way they had to, they didn't want to get into a running game with us," Smith said. "They did a good job controlling the tempo and they dictated the pace of the game until the last couple minutes of the first half. We just had to be solid defensively, and eventually they broke down."

Smith said the Warriors switched to a man-to-man defense in the second half, employing up to four guards. 'Iolani coach Mark Mugiishi said the Raiders usually do well against man defenses, but could not capitalize yesterday.

"We lost our composure and didn't execute in the second half, we fell apart," Mugiishi said. "Our effort wasn't as good."

Lamb led all scorers with 23 points, Bryon Allen added 14 and Keith "Tiny" Gallon contributed 13.

Tulonghari added 11 points for 'Iolani.

LEFLORE 70, DEMATHA 58

DeMarcus Cousins scored 34 points, including the go-ahead basket with just over a minute remaining, to help the Rattlers (Mobile, Ala.) rally past the Stags (Hyattsville, Md.).

DeMatha led throughout much of the game, including 28-20 at halftime and 48-33 late in the third period. But behind Cousins, an agile 6-11, 260-pound center, LeFlore chipped away at the lead and eventually tied it at 58-58 on two free throws with 1:27 remaining.

Cousins then dropped in a layup about 20 seconds later and added a short banker, and the Stags could not score after that.

Marlon Ford added 13 points and Kentari Nettles chipped in 11 points for the Rattlers. Justin Black led DeMatha with 19 points and Naji Hibbert added 11.

MONTROSE CHRISTIAN 59, WHITNEY YOUNG 46

Mouph Yarou scored 17 points and Terrence Ross added 15 to lead the Mustangs — who are from Rockville, Md., and are ranked No. 7 by USA Today — past the No. 24-ranked Dolphins from Chicago.

Montrose Christian will face Fairfax in tonight's semifinals at 8.

Whitney Young took a 10-9 lead on Ahmad Starks' 3-pointer with 1:57 left in the first period, but Montrose Christian's Dominic Milburn answered with a trey and the Mustangs never trailed again.

Montrose Christian built a 24-18 lead by halftime and stretched it to 43-29 late in the third period.

Starks led the Dolphins with a game-high 21 points.

FAIRFAX 46, PUTNAM CITY 29

Renardo Sidney scored 18 points and Lance Bailey added 10 to help the Lions — who are from Los Angeles and ranked No. 9 in USA Today — past the Pirates, who are from Oklahoma City.

Fairfax, which led 30-25 after three periods, outscored Putnam City 16-4 in the final period.

Putnam City's Xavier Henry, rated by some as the nation's No. 1 shooting guard, is recovering from injuries and did not play.

DUNK CONTEST TONIGHT

The Classic's annual dunk contest will be held after tonight's 8 o'clock semifinal game between Fairfax and Montrose Christian.

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.