Nick Velasquez scored a game-high 14 points and DeForest Buckner added 12 points last night to help visiting Punahou race past Mid-Pacific, 53-32, in Interscholastic League of Honolulu boys basketball action.

The Buffanblu improved to 9-2 in the ILH, setting up a key showdown at Kamehameha (7-2) 6 p.m. Tuesday. The Owls fell to 5-6.

MPI led, 12-11, after Patrick Matthews' mid-range jumper with 5:39 remaining in the first half, but reserve forward Christopher McLaren answered with a baseline jumper 35 seconds later to start Punahou on a 13-2 run capped by Lowell Tong's 3-pointer to make it 24-14 with 2:10 left.

The Owls closed it to 26-18 at halftime and 34-28 on Jordan Doi's layup with 2:28 remaining in the third period, but Tong drained a 15-foot bank shot from the left wing as time expired to put Punahou up, 40-28, heading into the fourth.

Mid-Pacific could not close the gap in the final quarter, as a layup by Matthews with 4:26 left proved to be its last points of the game.

Matthews led the Owls with 12 points.

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