Maryknoll guard Kaleb Gilmore puts up a shot from the perimeter against Moanalua. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Moanalua guard Kahanu Pu'ulei-Auld tries to get a shot attempt over the defense of Maryknoll's Tobias Schramm. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Maryknoll forward Joshua Burnett puts up a jump shot over Moanalua's Jamal Willis. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Sat, Dec 15, 2012 @ Moanalua

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Maryknoll

68

Moanalua

49

Final	1	2	3	4
Maryknoll (11-1, 25-3)	22	14	22	10	68
Moanalua (12-2, 20-10)	23	10	8	8	49

K. Pu'ulei-Auld 16 pts  2 3pm

K. Gilmore 19 pts  4 3pm

SALT LAKE - Kaleb Gilmore scored a game-high 19 points and Joshua Burnett had 17 to lead Maryknoll to a 68-49 win over Moanalua in the final game of the Oahu Interscholastic Association/Interscholastic League of Honolulu Challenge Saturday night.

The Spartans improved to 8-0 on the season and helped the ILH win all 12 games over the OIA in the three-day event held at Moanalua High School. Na Menehune, who opened the season with six straight wins, has lost their last three to fall to 6-3.

Maryknoll held a 36-33 lead at halftime, but outscored Moanalua, 22-8, in the third quarter to pull away. Na Menehune scored just 16 second-half points.

"Our first half, it seemed like we just finished playing two games, so we were a little tired," Spartans coach Kelly Grant said. "Second half, we made some changes, we went to a man defense."

Moanalua coach Greg Tacon gave a more simple explanation on Maryknoll's third-quarter separation.

"(Maryknoll's switch to a man defense) didn't bother us at all, they knocked down shots and we took shots that we couldn't make, too many 3's," Tacon said. "They shot the ball terrificly in the first half and my guys somehow managed to keep staying in it, despite the fact that they're knocking down all those shots and then we probably, in our first five possessions (of the second half) we took five 3's and they're making shots and there's your separation."

The Spartans made eight 3-pointers, including four by Gilmore and two by Tobias Powell, who finished with nine points. Center, Tobias Schramm, who is 6-feet, 9-inches tall, entered the game averaging a team-high 14.4 points per game, but was limited to just four points.

"I think our perimeter players are still thinking to shoot first and they're not looking inside, so during our next practice on Monday before we go to the Punahou tournament, we're going to stress making sure we get the ball inside," Grant said. "We haven't really practiced getting the ball inside to the post. Although we just say 'Just throw it in there,' but we need to learn the techniques and so forth. So many times, (Schramm) is wide open and they're not throwing the ball in, they're catching it and shooting it and I don't want to have a team that is just going to catch and shoot. We have the tallest guy in the state, we've got to utilize him."

A Burnett 3-pointer gave Maryknoll a 13-1 lead early in the first quarter, but Moanalua used a 14-2 run to force a tie at 15. Kahanu Puulei-Auld gave Na Menehune a 23-22 lead after his desperation 3-pointer from 40 feet banked in as the first quarter came to a close.

The Spartans opened and closed the second quarter on Gilmore 3-pointers and led, 36-33, at the half.

Maryknoll executed at a high level in the third quarter, failing to score on just five of its possessions. Gilmore made 3-pointers on back-to-back trips down the floor to give the Spartans a seven-point lead. Two possessions later, Burnett converted a three-point play to extend his team's lead to 46-36. Following Tamamoko Green's 3-pointer from the left wing and an up-and-under move by Hyrum Harris, Maryknoll had a 58-41 lead at the end of the third quarter.

The Spartans were 10 of 15 on free throws while Na Menehune made 8 of 18 from the line.

Tacon said Maryknoll's length made it difficult for his team to pass the ball, both around the perimeter and into the post.

"They stayed in the zone most of the time, which doesn't mean we get to the basket that often because they've got 6-(foot)-9 and 6-5 waiting for us there at the rim," Tacon said. "Even all the 3's that we took, a lot of that had to do with their length and we weren't comfortable throwing the ball inside, but the better team won tonight. They shot the ball terrificly, they pounded us on the boards and they're probably the best team in the state at this point."

Kahanu Puulei-Auld scored 16 points and Eliet Donley added 15 to lead Moanalua, who now has to get ready for a showdown against national powerhouse Findlay Prep (Nev.) in a first-round Iolani Classic game Wednesday.

Grant instructed his team to stay away from the hardcourt Sunday after it played four games in as many days following the OIA/ILH Challenge.

"These guys like to play on Sundays and shootaround, I'm going to make sure they all stay home and play their Xbox and rest their bodies," Grant said. "We have a few days until we play again and it's going to help."

Maryknoll will play Kailua Wednesday in a first-round game of the Punahou Holiday Classic.