No. 2 Maryknoll outlasts No. 7 Kalaheo in OT to advance


Maryknoll's Nikolas Robben scored a game-high 18 points in an overtime win over Kalaheo in the opening round of the HHSAA Division I Boys Basketball Tournament. Greg Yamamoto | SL

MAKIKI—No. 2 Maryknoll pulled away from No. 7 Kalaheo, 49-41, in overtime at the Clarence T. C. Ching Gymnasium Monday to open the Snapple/HHSAA Division I Boys Basketball Championships state tournament.

The Spartans advance to the quarterfinals to take on third seed Kamehameha-Hawaii at Moanalua Wednesday at 5 p.m.

The Mustangs end their season at 21-11 overall.

Luke Pardini tied the game at 28 on a reverse layup and Andrew Jones split a pair of free throws for a 29-28 lead. Niko Robben hit a 3-pointer from the right corner off a kick out pass from Liko Soares, but Kanoa Smith answered with a three of his own to make it, 32-31.

Ryan Owens (seven points) put Kalaheo up three before Robben converted the three-point play and Jones (nine points) drew his fifth foul and fouled out.

Parker Grant was assessed a technical foul and Smith, who finished with a team-high 16 points, four rebounds, and two assists, sank both foul shots. After Pardini missed the first of a one-and-one, Robben converted two free throws to tie up the game at 36.

Kalaheo held it for the last shot and Pardini launched a 3-pointer near the top of the arc, but it was no good as the game headed into overtime.


Noah Furtado had a steal and layup to open the period and Owens fouled out and sent Robben to the line, who split the pair. Pardini banked in a 3-pointer to get the Mustangs within three, but could get no closer as the Spartans pulled away from the free throw line and went 5 for 7 the rest of the way to close out the game.

Robben overcame an injury early in the first quarter and returned at the 2:16 mark in the first quarter. He finished with a game-high 18 points, four rebounds, and three steals and threw down a dunk in transition to put Maryknoll up nine in the overtime period.

Sage Tolentino finished with 12 points, four blocks, Furtado had eight and Soares ended with six.

Kalaheo led at halftime, 22-17 before Maryknoll outscored the Mustangs, 11 to 4 in the third quarter.

Maryknoll shot 18 for 29 (62 percent) overall from the free throw line and 8 for 14 (57.1 percent) in the overtime stanza.

Kalaheo was 10 for 15 (66.7 percent) overall from the free throw line.

Both teams played each other in the preseason on Dec. 5 with the Spartans edging the Mustangs 45-37.