Hawaii’s No. 1-ranked team, host ‘Iolani, takes on Martinsburg of West Virginia in this seventh-place matchup at the ‘Iolani Classic.
Martinsburg defeated Kahuku 73-48 in the opening round, then lost to powerful Sierra Canyon (Calif.) 67-27 in the quarterfinal round. The Bulldogs lost to Mount St. Joseph (Md.) 79-38 on Monday.
‘Iolani downed Kaimuki 58-39 before falling to Fairfax (Calif.) 47-43 in the quarterfinals. The Raiders lost to The Master’s Academy (Fla.) 65-50 on Monday.
Tip-off for this game is 3:30 p.m.
Today’s games were well ahead of schedule, so the teams have had almost 50 minutes to warm up in the air-conditioned confines of ‘Iolani Gymnasium. This place was packed for last night’s slam dunk contest. Right now, it’s just 20 percent filled. I expect that to change long before the title game between Sierra Canyon and La Lumiere.
FIRST QUARTER
The Bulldogs have a 6-0 lead, fired up by an aggressive halfcourt press.
Hugh Hogland feeds Robby Mann for a reverse layup, hits two foul shots and rally to tie it at 8.
Carter Walburn, a 6-2 senior, is hustling on the offensive boards. His putback gives the Bulldogs a 10-8 lead.
Hogland, a 6-8 junior, gets his first block when Carter Walburn drives and is rejected. The Bulldogs are quick and aggressive, but like most of their counterparts in Hawaii, they don’t have a player taller than 6-4. They’re guarding him with Walburn, who is 6-2.
Lefty fastbreak layup by Helam Baldomero, and then Hogland reaches high for a long offensive board, drives to the bucket and dunks with his left hand. Didn’t see that coming.
At the end of the first quarter, Raiders 12, Bulldogs 10.
SECOND QUARTER
IOL opens with a zone, but the Bulldogs swing the ball nicely to the left corner, where Devonte REdman swishes a 3. That form was a little bit unorthodox. Reminds me of Kevin Martin (Minnesota Timberwolves). Gets the job done anyhow.
Bulldogs over the foul limit. Justin Genovia at the line for 1-and-1, 4:08. Misses. Foul count is 7-1.
Hogland rebounds, double teamed, decides to dribble. He goes coast to coast and I thought he was going to throw it down. Nice lay-in, and after a steal off their 2-2-1 press, the Raiders get a layup by Nick Kennedy. 16-13, Raiders. Time out, Bulldogs, 3:19.
Martinsburg breaks the press this time, then works the low post and then a sweet bounce pass into the key, where Walburn banks in a 5-footer and draws the foul. His and-1 play ties it at 16.
Hogland is contesting everything in the paint and making life tough on the Bulldogs, but they keep attacking. Now it’s his brother, Cole, with a nice block. Transition 3 from Noah Bumanglag in the corner, and the Raiders run again. Genovia fouled on the break, misses both FTs. Hogland swats another shot.
Juwan Green misses a wing jumper as Hogland contests, but he corrals the rebound and hits a floater in the paint at the buzzer. That cuts ‘Iolani’s lead to 20-18.
THIRD QUARTER
Bulldogs on the run. A pull-up J by Green ties the game, and then Jarell Jones steals the ball on a double team of Hogland, and scores on the fastbreak. Then he picks Zach Gelacio and scores again. Bulldogs up 24-20 and looking much faster and motivated in this second half.
Jones drives baseline and scores. He gets fouled and hits the FT. Bulldogs 27, Raiders 20. It’s a 9-0 run, and another turnover by ‘Iolani.
Hogland breaks the dry spell for ‘Iolani. Driving from the elbow for a layup. 27-22.
Mann and Kennedy miss shots, and Jessiya Villa drives for a pull-up bank shot. Martinsburg 29-22. Villa then drives and dishes to Jones in the right corner for a wide open 3. Bulldogs 32-22, 3:35.
Lob pass on an inbounds play to Hogland, who drives and scores. Misses the ensuing FT. 32-24. Jones drives middle, rejected by Hogland. Bulldogs get the offensive board and Hogland fouls Villa on a wing shot. Hogland is everywhere. Villa hits the first FT and the second. 34-24.
Raiders break the press but Baily Alabanza throws the ball away, backcourt violation. Villa drives from near midcourt and hits a lefty runner, foul called. ‘Iolani bench questions the foul call — was it shooting? Villa races from behind to poke the ball away from Genovia and the ‘Dogs are running again. Jones hits a 10-footer in the lane. 39-24. They are on a 21-4 run.
Alabanza rattles in a corner 3, but the Bulldogs are owning the offensive glass. Attacking with a fervor. Terreck Norris’ putback makes it 41-27. Raiders are discombobulated against the press except when they hit Hogland in the middle. 43-27.
Jones runs a pick-and-pop play perfectly with Green, who knocks down the wing 3 with 4 seconds left in the quarter. Domination. The Bulldogs outscored the Raiders 28-7 in the third and have a 46-27 lead.
FOURTH QUARTER
Bulldogs nearly steal the ball from Hogland on a double team in the post, but he gets the pass to Helam Baldomero, who hits a corner 3. Time out, IOL, 46-30, 6:55.
The Bulldogs are playing great basketball when they’re aggressive, but the cost is a pile of fouls and ‘Iolani is marching to the line and hitting free throws. The lead is down to 54-39, 3:15 left, with Genovia at the line. He just hit one FT and the Bulldogs called time out. The ‘Dogs have already started to spread the court, not in a stall or delay, but to possibly whittle a few seconds off before they attack. But I doubt they keep pressuring the ball beyond the 3-point line.
If ‘Iolani can cut this to 9 or 10 with 3 minutes left, anything’s possible.
Raiders struggling to get a clean look. Bulldogs have called off the press, but they’re putting all their energy into tough halfcourt man defense. Walburn fouled out, but with him off the court, they might lose some rebounding, but they’re actually much quicker now.
Alabanza hits a corner 3 on a feed from Mann to cut the lead to 59-44 with 2:10 left.
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