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Brandon Ching | ScoringLiveFebruary 13, 2024, 5:41am
Mon, Feb 12, 2024 @ Punahou
Stone Kanoa had a rock-solid performance to lead a trio of Crusaders in double figures as No. 2 Saint Louis crushed No.1 Punahou, 60-42, in the ILH Division I final at Hemmeter Fieldhouse Monday.
The Crusaders won their fourth-straight game in six days to finish ILH play with a 11-3 record and wrapped up their third-straight league title and a seeded berth and first round bye to the HHSAA/Heide & Cook Division I Boys Basketball State Championships.
"Tough game, guys sucked it up and pushed through it. Four games in six days. This group is a tough group mentally. We were able to come out and really go for it against a good team. We know Punahou is good. It goes back to our defense and guys knowing their roles. When we do that, we're really tough," Saint Louis coach Dan Hale said.
Kanoa was 7-for-7 from the field for a team-high 15 points and he added five rebounds and six steals.
"Stone, that's my guy. He brought his ‘A' game. Nobody knows him as a scorer, everybody in the state thinks he's just a defender. I feel like this game, he proved the whole state wrong. He's not just a defender, but he's an offensive weapon. That' what he proved today and he can play both sides of the court. I'm happy for him and today was his day," Sepulona said of Kanoa.
Pupu Sepulona added 13 points and Caelan Fernando chipped in 12 points and nine boards.
"Caelan is another one that did good. Last year he didn't play since he transferred from Damien. This year it gave hm motivation to prove the whole state wrong he can play. He did that. Nobody knows he can jump that high for a smaller guy, man he can really jump. I'm proud of him and he did his thing," Sepulona said of Fernando.
"Caelan, he never gives up on a play. Just that mindset. These games before, they were absolutely essential for us and our growth. We were happy for them and we had to beat very good teams. We stayed in it and in the end, we took a nice step as a team heading into the state tournament," Hale said.
The Buffanblu, who did not play since their regular-season finale at Mid-Pacific on Jan. 25, fell to 9-2 in the ILH.
Taras scored a game-high 17 points with two blocks and Ayndra Uperesa-Thomas added 12 points, six boards, and three blocks as Punahou's two league losses came at the hands of the Crusaders.
"This was a hard-fought, scrappy game. We had to get every board that we could, we had to score on every opportunity we had. That was a big thing, we had to shut down their scorers Uperesa-Thomas and Taras," Kanoa said.
"Punahou, they have great players. I feel like our team is different. Our chemistry and the family we produce. Job's not done, we have to focus and stay disciplined and get ready for the state tournament," Sepulona said.
Saint Louis jumped out to a 7-0 lead following Sepulona's spin and score. Taras hit Punahou's lone field goal at the 4:13 mark and the team struggled from the field, shooting 1 for 8. Kanoa scored on two cuts assisted by Meacham and Corey Bailey scored off a goal-tended basket to give the Crusaders a 13-3 lead after the first quarter.
"My boys keep finding me and I'll always be there for them. Every time they're there, I'm there," Kanoa said.
Dillon Kellner split a pair of free throws and Dash Watanabe scored off a cut. Sepulona scored on a spin move then drained a triple from the left wing to make it, 20-6. Taras scored the next four points and later converted a 3-point play to bring the Buffanblu within six.
Jiovanni Ramos hit a jumper and Fernando split his free throws with 1.8 seconds left to take a 24-15 lead at halftime.
Kanoa scored on a backdoor cut from Fernando and Fernando followed up with a 3-pointer. Taras hit a 3 and Dillon Kellner added a putback to trail, 29-21.
Sepulona sparked a 6-0 run, scoring in the paint. Shancin Revuelto got to the rim for 2 and Keanu Meacham scored off a steal and layup to make it, 35-21.
Saint Louis closed out the quarter on a 6-0 run. Kanoa put back Revuelto's missed 3, Fernando hit a running bank, and Bailey had a wide-open layup before the buzzer for a 41-23 lead heading into the fourth.
"Just sharing the ball, looking for the open guy, just running we work on. We knew they were going to make a run and stuck to what we had to stick with," Hale said of the third quarter spurt.
"We had to keep pounding it in the paint. We're a great team in the paint and with Jordan and Pupu in there, we're unstoppable. That's what led us to get the momentum and lead," Kanoa said of the third quarter.
Kanoa's cut pushed the lead to 24, Saint Louis' biggest lead of the game in the fourth, and added a fast break layup.
"He's a hustler, he's at the right place at the right time a lot. That doesn't just happen. He's able to do that because of his desire and heart," Hale said of Kanoa.
"Coming out to this game, we know that Punahou is a great team. They're the number one seed. We had to bring our A game today and that's what we did. We executed from beginning to end. Fourth quarter, they were coming back and we had to finish strong. Overall, I was proud of my guys," Sepulona said.
Evan Porter scored layup in transition and Uperesa-Thomas added a putback to get the deficit below 20. Sepulona converted a pair of free throws before Uperesa-Thomas and Kellner each hit 3-pointers to get the Buffanblu within 13, 53-40. Taras got Punahou within 13 one more time, but could not get any closer.
"We knew that was coming. Teams are going to make runs on you. It's what you do in response. That's what we were able to do tonight," Hale said of the Buffanblu run.
"We had to close out on shooters. Ayndra hit some tough shots. All of them could shoot, so we had to close that space and make them put it on the floor. Our boys can wall up and get the boards," Kanoa added.
Saint Louis shot 23 of 46 (50 percent) from the field and nine of their 15 free throw attempts.
The Crusaders tallied 14 steals and forced 19 Punahou turnovers.
Punahou shot 17 of 41 (41 percent) from the field but was 4 of 20 (20 percent) from 3 and 4 for 12 (33.3 percent) from the free throw line.
The teams split the season series. Punahou won at Saint Louis, 48-40 on Jan. 11 and the Crusaders returned the favor, winning 53-39 at Hemmeter 12 days later.
Punahou last won the ILH and was awarded a seeded berth in 2017 and reached states for the first time since 2019.
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