Chase for the Championship
Kahuku, Maryknoll to square off in semis


ScoringLive staff
February 14, 2018, 11:37pm

Kahuku and Maryknoll will face off Thursday at 5:00 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center in the Snapple Division I semifinals. Pete Caldwell | SL

SALT LAKE — For the second-straight year, Kahuku's road to the final goes through an Interscholastic League of Honolulu opponent.

Defending state champion Kahuku crushed fourth-seeded Kamehameha-Hawaii, 62-37, while in the nightcap top-seeded Maryknoll rallied in the second half to beat Kapolei, 57-42, in the Snapple/HHSAA Division I Boys Basketball Championships quarterfinals at Moanalua.

The tip off between the Spartans and Red Raiders is scheduled at 5 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center followed by Moanalua and Punahou.

Kahuku 62, Kamehameha-Hawaii 37

The pace suited the Warriors early on as KS-Hawaii deadlocked the score at 10 after the first quarter. Samuel Kahapea led all scorers with 19 points and six rebounds.

6-foot-10 Tolu Smith was an unstoppable force as he scored 17 points, all in the first half, and grabbed eight rebounds.

The Red Raiders opened the second quarter on an 11-0 run sparked by 3-pointers from Ruanui Winitana and Lokana Enos, and Smith's baskets in the paint as the game slipped away from the Warriors.

Kahuku was in control, 27-16 at halftime and outscored KS-Hawaii in each quarter in the second half.

Maryknoll 57, Kapolei 42

Four players for the top-seeded Spartans scored in double figures as the Spartans are the only seeded team to survive the quarterfinal round.

Maryknoll beat Kapolei twice in the preseason, 67-34 on Nov. 27 in the McKinley Black and Gold Classic and 46-45 in the Iolani Classic on Dec. 19. 

Marcus Tobin led the Spartans with 14, Makoto Kamata and Jaylen Cain each added 12 and Isiah Gelacio chipped in 11.

Maryknoll found themselves down after the first quarter, 13-6 and trailed all half. The Spartans would cut the score down to one, but the Hurricanes answered back and took a 21-20 lead at halftime.

After going 0 of 8 from the 3-point line, Makoto Kamata hit the Spartans' first 3-pointer to give Maryknoll their first lead of the game, 23-21. The Spartans made all three of their 3's to finish 3 of 14 for the game, but made up at the free throw line making 20 of their 25 foul shots.

Maryknoll started pulling away and led, 38-28 heading into the fourth quarter.

Kapolei managed to whittle the deficit down to five, 47-42 on Zoar Nedd's putback with over two minutes to go, but Maryknoll went on a 10-0 run to end the game with free throws and converting turnovers into points.

Need posted a double-double with 17 points and 12 boards to lead the Hurricanes before fouling out and Isaiah Higa added 12 points.