Punahou will face Maryknoll for the Division I state crown Saturday night. ScoringLive photo illustration

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Punahou will face Maryknoll for the Division I state crown Saturday night. ScoringLive photo illustration

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MANOA — No. 1 and top-seeded Maryknoll will be looking for its first state title since 1984 when it plays No. 2 and defending champion Punahou in an all-Interscholastic League of Honolulu finale 7 p.m. Saturday at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The Spartans advanced with a 47-29 win against Kailua, while the Buffanblu moved on with a 48-42 win against No. 3 Iolani in the Snapple/HHSAA Division I state tournament semifinals Friday at the Sheriff Center.

The Spartans (29-2) have beaten the Buffanblu (29-5) in all three meetings during the ILH season.

"It's going to be an exciting game," Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant said. "It's hard to beat somebody four times."

While it has been 35 years since the Spartans have won it all, it will not be a first time for coach Grant, who was a member of that '84 title team. But it will not be a first-experience either for his sons Payton and Parker. Both were ball boys when their father led Kaimuki to the 2007 championship, coincidently, against Punahou.

"As a ball boy, I couldn't really play on the court," said Payton, a senior. "As a player, now I'm doing it myself with my teammates, which is really great."

With this being the fourth meeting of the season between Punahou and Maryknoll, there are no secrets.

"These kinds of game, it's going to whoever deals with it mentally better or gets some of the breaks," Punahou coach Darren Matsuda said. "That's what happens in championship games."

Punahou is seeking its unprecedented 12th state title; it is tied with Iolani at 11.

Ironically, the D1 and D2 title games feature teams in the same neighborhood. Punahou is directly across Wilder Avenue from Maryknoll. In D2, Farrington and Damien are diagonally across from the other on Houghtailing Street.

Jakob Kimura (left) scored 15 points to help the Buffanblu return to the title game for the fourth year in a row. Pete Caldwell | SL Pete Caldwell | SL