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Ciera Tugade-Agasiva

Maryknoll basketball  •   #24    Junior

Ciera Tugade-Agasiva and the Maryknoll girls basketball team clutched up Saturday afternoon. 

The senior forward scored a season-high 22 points, including the game-winning bucket with two seconds left, to lift then-No. 5 Maryknoll over reigning three-time Division I state champion Iolani, 47-46, in a thrilling Interscholastic League of Honolulu showdown at the Spartans' Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium. 

The win was Maryknoll's third victory in a span of four days to open up the ILH season. 

"Any time you beat Iolani, it's huge because Iolani just doesn't lose very many games," said Spartans coach Chico Furtado.

Furtado pointed out that the Raiders jumped out to a 12-0 lead and held an 18-5 advantage by the end of the first quarter. The Spartans turned the tide in the second quarter, when they outscored the visitors, 22-8, and took a six-point lead into the break. They stretched it to a 39-28 cushion after three quarters, but Iolani chipped away at the Maryknoll lead via the outside shot and eventually pulled ahead in the closing minutes. 

The Spartans were without the services of 6-foot-1 center Taimane Faleafine-Auwae, their leading scorer, and sophomore sharpshooter Isabella Arrisgado, both of whom had already fouled out. 

After a missed Iolani free throw kept the score 46-45 in favor of the Raiders, Tugade-Agasiva tied up an opposing guard to force a held ball. The possession arrow gave Maryknoll possession with about 21 seconds remaining. 

Furtado said that when fellow-post Elisa Holakeituai flashed to the high post, her defender followed and with Tugade-Agasiva's defender fronting her in the paint, there was enough space for guard Dylan Neves to find Tugade-Agasiva with a lob pass over the top. 

"We were spread out enough where Iolani's help-side (defender) was far away and Dylan Neves was poised enough to pass it over the top and Ciera was able to catch it and finish around the bucket, which hasn't always been the case," Furtado described. 

"In the past, maybe she was rushing or felt like people around her might block her or change her shot, so in that case, catching that lob with two seconds and finishing at the bucket was big for us and big for her because it showed that she can make the clutch bucket when we need it," he added. 

Tugade-Agasiva shot a perfect 8 for 8 from the field and was 6 of 7 from the free-throw line. She bested her previous season high of 18 points, which she posted in preseason wins over Campbell and Kalani. However, Tugade-Agasiva was held scoreless in Maryknoll's ILH-opening 43-40 win over then-No. 2 Punahou Wednesday night. She scored a modest four points in Friday's 37-20 victory over No. 10 Damien. 

"She had a rough start the first couple games of the season against Punahou and Damien, but it really worked out for her in that Iolani game and hopefully that is a confidence-builder for her so that we can move in the right direction and continue to be effective around the basket because it's no secret that our strength is our side. I mean, everybody knows we want to pound the ball in to make sure our bigs get their lions' share of the touches and our guards will have to be effective at hitting inside-out 3s when the opportunities present itself," Furtado said. 

Tugade-Agasiva is undersized in the post at 5 feet, 8 inches, but brings toughness that at least partially stems from her football background. 

"When she came to us as a ninth grader, I met her and her parents — nice people — and I was told she was playing tackle football," Furtado reminisced. "I think she was playing linebacker so she's just a tough kid, but as physical as she is, she's a sweet kid. She's not a bully, she's not one that will stick her chest out and she's humble, so I'm excited about her development."

Furtado noted that both post players, Tugade-Agasiva and Faleafine-Auwae are co-captains and the only seniors on the team. 

"They shoulder the load of leading our younger players," he said. "Ciera is very low-key, she's not ‘rah-rah', not the fist-in-the-air type, but it was real nice for her to come out and have that real good game — we needed it, obviously."

Maryknoll (3-0) holds a half-game lead on Iolani (3-1) atop the ILH Division I standings. It ascended from No. 5 to No. 1 in this week's ScoringLive Girls Basketball Power Rankings.  

Tugade-Agasiva and the Spartans will host No. 4 Kamehameha (1-2) Thursday. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. at T.C. Ching Gymnasium. 

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Shynastee Ahina, Hawaiian Mission — Scored 24 points in a win over La Pietra and scored 31 points in a win over Island Pacific 

Kalena Akinaka, Kekaulike — Scored 24 points in a loss to Baldwin and scored 19 points in a loss to Kamehameha-Maui 

Denise Alfonso, Kapaa — Scored 17 points in a win over Waimea 

Theresa Anakalea, Damien — Scored 15 points in a loss to Iolani, scored 27 points, including five 3-pointers, in a loss to Kamehameha and scored 30 points, including five 3-pointers, in a loss to Punahou 

Nina Batacan, La Pietra — Scored 26 points in a loss to St. Andrew's

Gabby Bowles, St. Andrew's — Scored 22 points in a win over La Pietra 

Kaya Blum, St. Andrew's — Scored 18 points in a loss to Island Pacific 

Katelyn Constantino, Waimea — Scored 16 points in a win over Kauai 

Jayda Fullum, Island Pacific — Scored 26 points in a win over St. Andrew's

Jovi Funakoshi, Mililani — Scored 16 points, including four 3-pointers, in a win over Nanakuli 

Tavina Harris, Lahainaluna — Scored 18 points in a win over Baldwin 

Kiani Hoolulu, Kailua — Scored 22 points in a loss to Moanalua 

Haley Hosino, McKinley — Scored 18 points in a win over Anuenue 

Ellana Klemp, Hanalani — Scored 21 points in a win over University Lab and scored 16 points in a loss to Sacred Hearts 

Olivia Malafu, Kapaa — Scored 20 points in a win over Kauai and scored 20 points in a win over Waimea 

Jolie Mantz, Waiakea — Scored 17 points in a win over Hilo 

Daija Mitchell, Island Pacific — Scored 21 points in a loss to Hawaiian Mission 

KalysaMarie Ng, Sacred Hearts — Scored 21 points in a win over Kamehameha II and scored 17 points in a win over Hanalani 

Rheanna Nobleza, Moanalua — Scored 20 points, including five 3-pointers, in a win over Kailua and scored 16 points, including four 3-pointers, in a win over Kalaheo 

Haylie-Anne Ohta, Iolani — Scored 18 points, including five 3-pointers, in a win over Damien 

Kristen Ragasa, Honokaa — Scored 28 points in a win over Kealakehe 

Kailey Reverio, McKinley — Scored 16 points in a win over Kaimuki 

Kassaundra Sewa-Santiago, Mililani — Scored 21 points, including five 3-pointers, in a win over Nanakuli 

Laynee Torres-Kahapea, Punahou — Scored 24 points in a win over Kamehameha and scored 26 points in a win over Damien 

Rylee Velasquez, Honokaa — Scored 21 points in a win over Kealakehe 

Jirah Villanueva, Radford — Scored 18 points in a win over Kapolei 

BOYS BASKETBALL

Trotter App, Baldwin — Scored 27 points in a win over Kekaulike 

Espn Bennett, Le Jardin — Scored 17 points in a win over West Point Gray 

CJ Bostic, Kalaheo — Scored 28 points in a loss to Punahou II and scored 25 points in a win over Kaiser 

Mizah Carreira, Campbell — Scored 25 points in a win over Sierra and scored 17 points in a win over Kahuku 

Noah Flores Alexander, Lahainaluna — Scored 23 points, including five 3-pointers, in a win over Baldwin 

Kobe Garcia, Seabury Hall — Scored 18 points in a win over Molokai 

Ben Holakeituai, Kahuku — Scored 18 points in a loss to Kailua 

Miles Hornage, Campbell — Scored 18 points in a win over Sierra

Keaka Kauhane, Kapaa — Scored 17 points in a win over Island School 

Kahikina Keaulana, Hanalani — Scored 18 points in a loss to Castle 

Tucker Lam, Punahou — Scored 20 points, including five 3-pointers, in a loss to Milton

Lukas Meyer, Island School — Scored 18 points in a loss to Kapaa 

Issac Mirey, Kauai — Scored 24 points, including six 3-pointers, in a win over Kapaa 

Taylor Moku, Aiea — Scored 17 points in a win over Waianae 

Dominique Mose Smith, Farrington — Scored 18 points in a win over McKinley 

Cade Myers, Kauai — Scored 21 points in a win over Waimea 

Stefan Ognjanovic, Aiea — Scored 19 points in a win over Waianae 

Mikey Questin, Kapaa — Scored 17 points in a win over Island School 

Avery Paul, Baldwin — Scored 24 points a loss to Lahainaluna 

Jonny Philbrick, Kailua — Scored 23 points in a win over Kahuku 

Joshua Rego, Kauai — Scored 20 points in a win over Kapaa 

Pupualii Sepulona, Saint Louis — Scored 27 points in a loss to Montverde

Josiah Shinbara, Castle — Scored 17 points, including five 3-pointers, in a win over Hanalani 

Jackson Swirsky, Le Jardin — Scored 24 points in a win over West Point Gray 

Christian Togiai, Kamehameha — Scored 17 points in a loss to Millennium 

Caden Williams, Radford — Scored 20 points in a loss to Iolani 

James Zara, Waialua — Scored 29 points in a win over Nanakuli 

GIRLS SOCCER

Aubrey Agena, Kauai — Scored three goals in a win over Waimea

Rushelaine Alsola, Waianae — Scored four goals in a win over Waialua 

Kasi Amaral, Nanakuli — Scored three goals in a win over Waialua 

Aliana Ganigan Hale, Campbell — Scored three goals in a win over Waianae 

Iai Maafala, Mililani — Scored three goals in a win over Radford 

Tavena Oliveira, Mililani — Scored four goals in a win over Radford 

Sophia Wilson, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored three goals in a win over Honokaa

BOYS SOCCER

Logan Aurio, Kapolei — Scored three goals in a win over Waipahu 

Zekiel Balmoja, Waialua — Scored three goals in a win over Nanakuli 

Caleb Corpuz, PAC-5 — Scored the lone goal in a tie with Punahou 

Ignacio Elzardia, Island School — Scored three goals in a win over Waimea 

Andre Estaniqui, Mililani — Scored six goals in a win over Radford 

Chase Kaetsu, Kalani — Scored four goals in a win over Castle 

Sawyer Rogoff, Island School — Scored three goals in a win over Waimea 

Jaylen Temple, Moanalua — Scored three goals in a win over Kaimuki