By Wes Nakama
Short-handed Punahou held off upset-minded University, 49-46, in thrilling HHSAA Boys Basketball State Semifinal action Thursday night.
A crowd of about 800 in McKinley’s Student Council Gym watched Tate Takamiya score 16 points and Zion White add 10 points and 11 rebounds as the Buff ‘n Blue improved to 27-8 and advanced to Friday’s title game against three-time defending champion Saint Louis (32-1). Alika Ahu scored a game-high 19 points and Trey Ambrozich added 12 points for the Junior Rainbows, who fell to 21-10 and into the third-place game against Kahuku (20-10).
The championship game — a rematch of last year’s championship final — is set for 7 p.m. in SimpliFi Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center. The game will be televised live statewide on Spectrum Sports OC16, and broadcast live via radio on CBS AM1500.
Punahou was able to return to the title game despite losing its leading scorer, sophomore post Tanoa Scanlan, to a broken finger two weeks ago. Scanlan, an agile 6-foot-5 sharpshooter, averaged 17.5 points per game this year but had surgery to repair the finger on Feb. 13 and was declared unable to play in the postseason.
Still, the Buff ‘n Blue were able to take a 39-32 lead Thursday after Dash Watanabe’s 3-pointer from the right wing 30 seconds into the fourth period. But as it did all season, University fought back and closed it to 47-46 after Ahu’s teal and fast-break layup with 41 seconds remaining. Reserve guard Houston Hosoda later sank two free throws to make it 49-46 with five ticks on the clock, and Ahu was able to advance the ball to the right wing after the ensuing inbounds pass.
But he was forced to double-pump his 3-point attempt, which was a shade to the left and glanced off the rim at the buzzer.
“It’s a testament to this team, and these kids,” Punahou coach Darren Matsuda said of the Buff ‘n Blue returning to the final. “We talk about adversity either making or breaking you, and you want it to make you, because you’re gonna hit adversity in life. They did a good job of saying, ‘Hey, we were bummed that night (Scanlan was injured) and kind of devastated, but the sun rose the next day and we decided we’re gonna keep going and keep fighting and do what we can with this season.”
Punahou is 5-1 since Scanlan’s injury, including a 53-52 victory over University to secure second place in the ILH and wins over Moanalua (Monday) and Kamehameha-Hawai’i (Wednesday) in this week’s state tournament.
The Buff ‘n Blue applied full-court pressure in the first period, forcing a couple of backcourt turnovers that led to transition fast break baskets, and they led 20-16 after White opened the second period with a coast-to-coast layup.
But Ambrozich answered with a basket in the paint to ignite an 8-0 run capped by Ahu’s layup to put the Junior ‘Bows up 24-20 with 2:07 remaining, before Punahou ended the half with layups by Takamiya and Nahua Lloyd to make it 24-24 at the break.
“We tried to work their guards, because they’re good shooters and they really don’t sub out too much on those two guards because they’re very valuable,” Matsuda said. “It’s kind of giving body blows (with pressure) throughout the game. Not necessarily for turnovers — if we get the turnovers, great, but it’s more to give them body blows for the duration.”
The strategy appeared to be working, as Watanabe’s 3-pointer to open the fourth period gave the Buff ‘n Blue a 39-32 lead. But then University turned to its “Big Three” front line of Ambrozich (6-7), Ahu (6-4) and Koa Laboy (6-4).
Ahu’s layup and Ambrozich’s reverse quickly cut it to 39-36, and after White’s layup made it 43-38 with 4:32 remaining, Ahu’s banker and a hook by Ambrozich cut it to 43-42 just over a minute later. Lloyd’s layup pushed it to 45-42, but Laboy’s jump hook shot cut it to 45-44 at the 1:40 mark.
Then it was Takamiya’s free throws for a 47-44 lead with 1:17 left, only to see Ahu get his steal and fast break layup to cut it to 47-46 with 41 seconds remaining.
After each team missed from close range on the ensuing possessions, Hosoda was fouled near halfcourt and swished both free throws with five ticks on the clock. It was Hosoda’s first free throw attempts, after only one attempt (3-point miss) from the field.
“With Tanoa out, Houston is one of our best free throw shooters,” Matsuda said. “Everybody we had in the game at that point is a good free throw shooter.”
Ahu ended up advancing the ball and had a good 3-point look from the right wing, but had to double-pump as a defender flew by and the shot was just off mark to the left.
Takamiya said Scanlan helped the team come together in his absence.
“The thing with Tanoa is, when he got hurt, he never once looked down,” said Takamiya, a 6-1 senior guard. “He picks us up every day in practice, wants to make us better. On the bench, he’s the loudest one, he’s always cheering for us. So knowing that he’s there with us, we’re doing this for him. We push the pace more, we run, we try to move the ball more.
“I’m just thankful that when Tanoa got hurt, we had a meeting and Coach Darren told us how he still believes in us and what we seniors bring to the team. I’m just glad that he and all the other coaches believe in us.”
Saint Louis 38, Kahuku 31
Pupu Sepulona scored a game-high 16 points and grabbed five rebounds as the Crusaders overcame a stunning 22-14 deficit early in the third period to advance to their fourth straight championship game.
Kahuku used a tight defense and aggressive rebounding to hold down Saint Louis and build leads of 11-10 after one period, 17-13 at halftime and 22-14 early in the third, before Keanu Meacham’s steal and layup ignited a 13-4 run capped by Shancin Revuelto’s 3-pointer from the right wing to put the Crusaders ahead, 27-26, with 6:30 remaining in the game.
Sepulona extended it to 33-26 with two free throws at the 2:49 mark, and after Mystique Akina-Watson’s layup cut it to 33-28 with 1:32 left, Saint Louis closed out the game with Jordan Nunuha’s alley-oop layup at 1:01 and Caelan Fernando’s two free throws with 31 ticks on the clock.
Photos: Lori McKeown
