No. 2 Maryknoll fends off No. 8 University Lab

Maryknoll guard Zion Millare goes in for a reverse layup against University Lab in the first quarter. Michael Lasquero | SL

Maryknoll keeps rolling.

The second-ranked Spartans bested No. 8 University Lab, 46-35, Friday night at Maryknoll Community Center on the final night of the annual Tony Sellitto Hawaiian Island Basketball Challenge.

Zion Millare scored 15 points, Kaniala Woo added nine and Hunter Marumoto and Jerome Lilio each chipped in six points to lead the Spartans, who notched their seventh straight win an improved to 14-2 in non-league action.

The Spartans got it done with defense, holding the Jr. Bows to single digit parts in the first three quarters while scoring in double digits themselves. The score was 33-17 heading into the final period of play.

"We knew they were going to be a challenge, even though they're young, they're a seasoned group and they have a high basketball IQ," Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant said of University Lab.

"I challenged our boys in the beginning that if you guys don't come ready to play today, they're going to kick our butts, so our kids came out. We held them to 12 points in the first half. That's the staple of our team. It's not the shooting or anything like that. It's playing solid back line defense and I thought we did a really good job."

Trey Ambrozich scored 10 points to lead the Jr. Bows (9-2) in the loss.