Two games behind two teams with just six to play, and with their returning All-Star injured and on the bench, the Spartans held off Lana'i 58-53 last night at the Erdman Athletic Center.

Kasen Dudley and his 17 points-per-game average missed a third straight game with a high ankle sprain, but freshman guard Phelan Pagano stepped in and poured in 24 points — more than double his previous best — to keep the defending Maui Interscholastic League Division II champions in the regular-season race.

Seabury Hall improved to 5-2, while Lana'i fell to 6-1. Moloka'i beat Ka'ahumanu Hou last night, improving to 7-0.

Pagano hit five of six free throws in the final 19 seconds after he sank three 3-pointers earlier in the game.

"For high school, that is definitely my best game,'' Pagano said to The Maui News. "I have scored more before in Menehune League, but with Kasen out I knew I needed to step up tonight. There is a lack of scoring without him. Coach (John Ibuos) told me to step up and I did.''

The game was close throughout — the largest lead was seven for the Spartans late in the first half.

A putback by Peter Meyer with five seconds to go before halftime gave Seabury Hall a 29-23 lead at the break.

The Pine Lads quickly made it a game in the second half.

Philip Bolo hit a 3-pointer — one of 11 on the night for the two teams — and Chris Ganer added a layup moments later on a backdoor cut to bring the Pine Lads within 29-28 with 7:12 to go in the third quarter.

From there the game was tied on four occasions, the last when Ganer put back a rebound to make the score 48-48 with 5:25 to play.

A minute later, Elmer Agtarap broke free after a steal by Ganer and put Lanai ahead for the first time since early in the second quarter, 50-48 with 4:41 left.

Meyer hit a free throw and had a rebound basket to give the Spartans a 51-50 lead with 3:27 to go. It stayed that way until the final minute when the Pine Lads were forced to foul four times in a span of 20 seconds.

Michael Palmer hit a pair of free throws with 37 seconds left to give Seabury Hall a 53-50 lead, and then it was Pagano's turn. He hit two with 19 seconds to go to make the score 55-50.

Agtarap hit his second 3-pointer of the game on the next trip down the floor, but those were the last of Agtarap's 19 points and the final time the ball would go in the basket for the Pine Lads.

"Lana'i came to play tonight, we couldn't get back on defense in the first half and early second half,'' Ibuos said. "I was really exhorting my boys and this is a great win. We just dug deep. This was a must win. We are on the outside looking in, still.''

Palmer and Meyer each scored nine points.

The Pine Lads started cold from the floor, shooting 5-for-18 in the first quarter. They shot 21-for-60 (35 percent) for the game, but hit six 3-pointers.

Seabury Hall shot 20-for-50 from the floor and also won the turnover battle, with just 11 on the night, two fewer than Lana'i.

Ibuos said that Dudley may not be back until the MIL tournament, scheduled for Feb. 7-9.

"The guys really came up big tonight, but we have to keep doing that,'' Ibuos said.

The Pine Lads got 14 points from Ganer and 10 from Bolo. Dustin Donato had seven points and six blocked shots.

"Seabury moves the ball so well,'' Lana'i coach Jimmy Fernandez said. "We practiced on trying to defend that shot, but I guess my boys fell asleep at the beginning of the game and it took us a half to try to wake up. With everybody in this league so even, it is who brings it the night of the game.''

LANA'I (53)

Philip Bolo 4 0-0 10, Russell Lamay 0 0-2 0, Chris Ganer 5 3-3 14, Elmer Agtarap 8 1-2 19, William Haban 0 0-0 0, Ryan Fauatea 1 0-0 3, Bryan Etrata 0 0-0 0, Neil Maltezo 0 0-0 0, Dustin Donato 3 1-4 7. Totals 21 5-11 53.

SEABURY HALL (58)

Garret Wiseman 1 0-0 3, Michael Palmer 3 2-2 9, Chris Sugidono 0 0-0 0, Holden Awong 1 1-1 3, Adrian Rimm 1 0-0 2, Jack Webber 1 0-0 2, Janoah Osborne 1 0-0 2, Phelan Pagano 7 7-9 24, Nick Pagel 1 2-4 4, Peter Meyer 4 1-2 9. Totals 20 13-18 58.

Lana'i 12 11 19 11–53

Seabury Hall 13 16 15 14–58

3-point field goals–Lana'i 6 (Bolo 2, Agtarap 2, Ganer, Fauatea); Seabury Hall 5 (Pagano 3, Wiseman, Palmer). Total fouls–Lana'i17, Seabury Hall 13. Fouled out–none.

MIL STANDINGS

Division I

W L Pct GB

Lahainaluna 8 1 .889 –

Kamehameha Maui 7 3 .700 1 1/2

Baldwin 7 3 .700 1 1/2

King Kekaulike 2 7 .222 6

Maui High 0 10 .000 8 1/2

Division II

W L Pct GB

Moloka'i 7 0 1.000 –

Lana'i 6 1 .857 1

Seabury Hall 5 2 .714 2

St. Anthony 2 6 .250 5 1/2

Ka'ahumanu Hou 1 6 .167 6

Hana 1 7 .125 6 1/2

Yesterday's results

Moloka'i 56, Ka'ahumanu Hou 32

Seabury Hall 58, Lana'i 53

Hana 55, St. Anthony 39

Today's games

Moloka'i vs. Ka'ahumanu Hou at Erdman Athletic Center, 12:15 p.m.

Lana'i at Seabury Hall, 7 p.m.

King Kekaulike at Lahainaluna, 7:30 p.m.