ILH Girls Basketball
Omori leads top-ranked Spartans past No. 2 Warriors


Kalani Takase | ScoringLive
January 11, 2018, 10:10pm

  

Thu, Jan 11, 2018 @ Kamehameha

Maryknoll

45

Kamehameha

36

Final 1 2 3 4  
Maryknoll (12-0, 28-3) 8 10141345
Kamehameha (8-5, 17-6) 9 10 7 1036
Kalina Obrey 11 pts  1 3pm  2/2 FTs
Rhianne Omori 15 pts  2 3pm  5/6 FTs
Kalina Obrey 7 tot  3 off  4 def
Bella Cravens 11 tot  5 off  6 def


KAPALAMA HEIGHTS — Rhianne Omori scored a game-high 15 points and top-ranked Maryknoll pulled away from No. 2 Kamehameha 45-36 in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I girls basketball game at Kekuhaupio Gymnasium Thursday afternoon.

The first-place Spartans (7-0) overcame an early deficit to hand the Warriors (5-3) their second loss in as many games.

Defense paved the way for Maryknoll, which held Kamehameha to just 36.8 percent shooting (14 of 38) from the field, including just 3 of 11 from distance.

"We needed to establish what coach Chico emphasized, which was to really watch their three main scorers and make sure we cover the penetration and get out on shooters," Omori said.

The Spartans did just that, holding the Warriors' trio of Kalina Obrey, Jewel Paaluhi-Caulk and Kiana Vierra to a total of 26 points. They combined for 16 of their team's 19 first-half points, but managed just 10 points thereafter.

"I was losing my mind because we had talked about that. We talked about slowing down their best three players," Furtado said.

Omori drew the defensive assignment of Paaluhi-Caulk, a crafty ball-handler and the primary distributor for Kamehameha.

"She was the key to their offense where she penetrates, gets the help and dishes, so we had to limit her penetration," Omori said. "I think in the first half we were a little behind and hesitant. We didn't watch our space, we didn't have too much communication, but I think in the second half we really picked it up."

Kamehameha jumped out to a 6-0 lead after a straightaway 3-pointer from Obrey near the midpoint of the first quarter. Maryknoll took its first lead on a Chayse Milne trey from the left corner early in the second period, but the Warriors took a 19-18 lead into halftime thanks to a Paaluhi-Caulk jumper from 17 feet in the closing seconds of the first half.

The third quarter belonged to the Spartans, who hit four 3-pointers in the stanza and outscored the Warriors 14-7.

Paaluhi-Caulk converted a three-point play with 2:04 left in the third quarter to tie it at 26, but Maryknoll got back-to-back 3-pointers from Kamalu Kamakawiwoole and Milne on consecutive possessions to take a 32-26 lead into the fourth.

The Warriors cut it to a seven-point deficit on an Obrey bucket with 5:35 remaining, but Omori drained a straightaway 3-pointer to answer on the other end of the floor.

"That was a big 3 from the top of the key," Furtado said.

Omori shot 4 of 10 from the field, including a couple of second-half 3-pointers, and was 5 of 6 from the free-throw line. As a team, Maryknoll shot 8 of 19 from beyond the arc and 9 of 18 at the charity stripe.

Bella Cravens grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds, Dakota Viena added seven points and Moe Notoa chipped in six points, six rebounds and three assists.

Obrey finished with 11 points and seven rebounds and Paaluhi-Caulk added 10 points to pace the Warriors.

It was the lowest scoring output for both teams in ILH play this season and marked the first time Warriors have dropped back-to-back games this year. They were coming off a 15-point loss to No. 5 Iolani Tuesday.

Kamehameha fell in the league standings from a tie for second place with the idle-Raiders (5-2) into third place with two games remaining in the first round.

Maryknoll hosts last-place Punahou (1-6) Saturday before wrapping up the first round at Sacred Hearts (3-5) Monday and at home against Iolani Wednesday.


Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].




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