Maryknoll's Liko Soares (40) scored 12 of his game-high 15 points in the first half. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Sat, Jan 18, 2020 @ Maryknoll

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Saint Louis

35

Maryknoll

39

Final	1	2	3	4
Saint Louis (4-9, 5-15)	8	7	11	9	35
Maryknoll (11-3, 31-4)	10	13	9	7	39

L. Soares 15 pts  5/6 FTs

A. Bianco 12 pts  3 3pm  1/2 FTs

MAKIKI — No. 2 Maryknoll escaped with a 39-35 win over Saint Louis at the Clarence T. C. Ching Gymnasium in a matinee Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I contest Saturday.

The Spartans win their fourth-straight game to improve to 6-1 in the ILH standings.

The Crusaders dropped their second game in the same week to fall to 2-3.

Maryknoll saw a nine point lead evaporate down to four in a two minute span and missed free throws and second chance opportunities for Saint Louis nearly doomed the home team.

The Spartans went 5 for 11 (45.4 percent) from the free throw line.

"We got guys that are supposed to be making free throws at the end of the games. Missing the front end of one-and-ones and technical free throws. We were actually 5 for 14," Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant said.

Liko Soares, who led the Spartans with 15 points, split a pair of free throws with 2:38 remaining in the fourth quarter to put Maryknoll up, 39-30.

"Our guards are aware that's our strength. Liko does a good job of sealing his man and giving the guys who are passing it to him a good open look to pass it to him. Once he catches it, he's hard to defend him since he has so many moves," Grant said.

Malu Ing drained a floater to bring Saint Louis within seven and AJ Bianco who had a team-high 12 points hit a 3-pointer and was fouled by Soares on the attempt. Bianco would miss the free throw as the Crusaders trailed by four and he had another attempt from the perimeter but it was no good.

With 30.8 seconds left, Niko Robben came up empty on a one-and-one free throw and after Isaac Silva's floater attempt was no good, Parker Grant went to the line and missed a free throw to put the game away. The Crusaders launched up perimeter shots to no avail as Maryknoll hung on for the win.

"We brought pressure, rotate, give Maryknoll credit. They execute really well, we're not there yet to execute with them, but we play hard and we come after it and that's what we want to do. We want to create opportunities for us to get back into the game," Saint Louis first year coach Dan Hale said.

Saint Louis kept it close in the first quarter and trailed 10-8. Soares did his damage in the paint as he scored nine of his 12 first half points in the second quarter. Maryknoll went on a 8-1 run following a bank shot from Robben to force a Crusader timeout.

"One of our goals is to limit them to one shot. We did a good job in the first half but second half they got second half shots," Grant said.

Aiva Arquette, the team's leading scorer with 15.0 points per game, got Saint Louis within five and was held in check with five points. With 1:06 left in the second quarter, Shoncin Revuelto was whistled for a technical foul, but Robben missed both free throws.

"They're good. They're going to prepare for us the next time we play them. We went a box-and-one on their best shooter (Arquette) and they weren't ready for that. Next time, we have to put a new wrinkle in. That guy can shoot when he's wide open, he didn't miss anything in warmups," Grant said.

Maryknoll led, 23-15 at halftime.

Noah Furtado, who had the assignment of guarding Arquette, factored in all nine of the Spartans' third quarter points as he hit his first 3-pointer to go up, 26-18 and hit another one to put Maryknoll up 11. He converted Robben's cross-court pass with another three from the left wing. Bianco, who had three 3's for the game hit one from the right wing as the Crusaders trailed by six going into the fourth.

"Thats what we talked about. We have to seal up the middle and force tough shots outside. They hit enough tough shots and made ball swings. It's a growing process and each game, since we got a late start, we're trying to keep progressing," Hale said.

"Noah played really well. They were trapping on the top. Liko was open on the bottom a couple times. Because they have to worry about Liko underneath and Noah is going to be open. Noah was a great shooter last year and this year he's struggling a little bit. Hopefully the shots he hit today, gives him some confidence," Grant said of Furtado's performance.

Isaac Silva's jumper brought Saint Louis within four but following a Maryknoll timeout, Robben found Sage Tolentino inside. Ing made two foul shots, however Tolentino converted another assist from Robben and Soares had a putback to put the Spartans up eight.

Tolentino (eight points) went down with an ankle injury sometime in the quarter and did not return.

"We don't play until Wednesday. We'll rest tomorrow, Monday he will get treatment," Grant said.

Maryknoll opens up second round play and goes to Iolani on Jan. 22.

Saint Louis goes to Punahou on Monday, Jan. 20 and it will be a homecoming for Hale, who graduated from the school and led the Buffanblu to a state title back in 2008. The Crusaders put a scare into Punahou as it only escaped with a 72-69 win back on Jan. 3.

"That was our moment, we decided we want to stick together and we want to be this team. We started playing together. That was a game when we had like two practices. Punahou is a great team and can shoot on anybody, but we have to come out with the same intensity as we did here," Hale said.