Game of the night? Could be. I don’t expect Kahuku’s football guys to be sharp after finishing their championship season just two weeks ago. But Maryknoll saw leading scorer Justice Sueing Jr. transfer out.
Brian Washington, their 6-foot-6 sophomore, has a chance to shine. Kahuku appears to have no Kiwis on the team this season.
FIRST QUARTER
Technical foul on Kahuku during warmups for dunking.
Quarter ends with MS up 11-10. They were in a matchup zone the whole quarter.
SECOND QUARTER
Kahuku was switched from man defense to zone. Hirkley Latu and Bradlee Anae, each standing 6-4, were solid defensively in the first 8 minutes.
Alan Akina using his bench heavily. Maryknoll, as expected, more deliberate offensively with Sueing departed.
Reserve center Tenchi Robinson added a spark with a putback and a block in the last :15.
Kahuku leads 21-18 at the half.
THIRD QUARTER
Spartans open with a quick 7-0 run to regain the lead.
Offensive called on Latu after the defender appeared to hook his arm. Yikes.
Doesn’t matter. Spartans playing fast and the run is now 11-0 since halftime, 29-21.
Another 3 by Maryknoll over Kahuku’s zone and it is 32-21.
Putback dunk by Washington extends the lead to 34-22 but Latu answers with a corner 3. Guess he’s not rusty after all.
Hayato Kamata’s third trey of the quarter opens Maryknoll’s lead to 39-25. Kamata is a 6-4 senior.
Third quarter ends with Maryknoll leading 40-29.
FOURTH QUARTER
Anae sets a perfect high screen to set Keanu Akina free for his first trey of the game. That cuts it to 41-34 and after Latu hits a FT, the lead is down to six.
Coach Kelly Grant switched his Spartans to man defense after Akina’s 3. Now he’s got them back in zone with Robinson in the middle, 6-6 Washington covering one corner and 6-3 Jordan Cain on the other against the 5-10 Akina.
Anae fouls out on an illegal screen with just over 2 minutes left and the lead 43-37. Cain swishes a wing 3.
Akina answers with a 3. Time out, maryknoll 46-40, 1:36. Offensive foul on MS but KAH misses a 3. Kamata’s hits a FT for a 47-40 lead.
Good win for the ilh, Kahuku good only in football, RRFL, take your lumps now.
You never learn do you…. These are football players adjusting to basketball and they barley loss. As long as kahuku spreads the ball and calls plays for EVERYONE, instead of just for the coaches son, they will do good.