KAILUA -- Nick Velasquez scored nine of his team-high 15 points in the fourth period last night to help Punahou hold off Academy of the Pacific, 54-46, shaking up the top of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu standings.

A crowd of about 400 at Le Jardin watched the Buffanblu improve to 8-2 in the ILH, while the Dolphins fell to 6-2 and out of first place. 'Iolani now leads at 6-1.

AOP led last night's game, 39-37, after Micah Dunhour's acrobatic scoop shot with 5:59 remaining. But DeForest Buckner answered with a turnaround jumper in the lane to start Punahou on a 10-0 run capped by Patrick O'Neill's layup to make it 47-39 with 3:37 left.

The Dolphins cut it to 50-46 on Moritz Krume's tip-in putback with 1:26 remaining, but Lowell Tong responded with a 17-foot jumper just beyond the free throw line 15 seconds later and O'Neill's two free throws effectively sealed it with 40 seconds left.

"I think this was one of the best games for both teams, we both probably shot over 50 percent (from the field)," Buffanblu coach Darren Matsuda said. "It was almost like a state championship game."

AOP guard Kona Makaula put on an outstanding shooting performance in the first half, nailing his first seven field goal attempts and scoring 15 points in a first half that ended tied at 26-26. But he was held to two free throws and no field goals in the second half.

"(Makaula) was on fire, so we had to make an adjustment," Matsuda said. "We put (O'Neill) on him, and Patrick is the quickest of our defenders."

A 3-pointer by Velasquez capped a 7-2 run to start the second half, putting Punahou ahead, 33-28, but the Dolphins closed it to 34-33 entering the fourth quarter and took the lead at 39-37 on Dunhour's circus layup.

But after Buckner's turnaround jumper tied it, Tong and Velasquez followed with back-to-back 3-pointers to help the Buffanblu surge ahead.

"When it was 39-39, they hit two big threes and we didn't have a good possession," AOP coach Walter Marciel said. "They hit big shots."

Dunhour added 13 points for the Dolphins, and Buckner chipped in with 10 points for Punahou.

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