Jayden Zarriello hit four 3-pointers to help spark No. 7 Kamehameha to a 73-63 win over No. 2 Saint Louis on Friday night at McCabe Gymnasium.
Zarriello’s timely marksmanship was part of a key run by the visiting Warriors during the fourth quarter. Their 10-0 run, fueled by Zarriello’s NBA-distance 3, and then a 3-point shot and two free throws by Kobe Young, turned a one-point deficit into a 58-49 lead.
“No. 5 (Zarriello) is a shooter. They all can shoot,” Saint Louis coach Allan Silva said.
Noah Browne’s 4-point play cut it to 69-63 with 41 seconds left, but Saint Louis got no closer. It was the Crusaders’ first loss in ILH play after three wins.
“Kamehameha did a good job collapsing (on defense). We stopped moving the ball. We didn’t pass it really good,” Silva said.
Kamehameha shot 10-for-23 from 3-point range (43 percent) and 15-for-17 from the foul line (88 percent). Saint Louis was effective from deep (8-for-16), but shot just 8-for-17 from the charity stripe (47 percent).
“It sure is a luxury to have kids who shoot it with confidence,” Kamehameha coach Greg Tacon said. “These guys are always trying to find each other. Saint Louis was very quick. We never expected them to be so quick and fast on the offensive end.”
Saint Louis was nearly unstoppable early on with 6-foot-6 Tristan Nichols and 6-4 Chris Sykes working the post and feeding each other for easy layups. Nichols was on fire in the first quarter, scoring seven points on 3-for-3 shooting. Then Kamehameha didn’t allow him to attempt a field goal the rest of the night, and he finished with eight points and eight boards.
Junior guard Jaymason Nunuha poured in 21 points (7-for-15 from the field) and added five assists, and freshman guard Jett Tanuvasa finished with 14 points.
Kaeler Kahana led Kamehameha (2-2) with 13 points. Young finished with 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds plus one block. Zarriello and reserve sparkplug guard Kamren Victorino-Kato finished with 12 points each.
Victorino-Kato, a lanky sophomore, was a big help in the third quarter with eight points, including a bucket off a steal that he out-strided Tanuvasa for.
Kamehameha won’t have much time to enjoy the win. They have giant-slayer Mid-Pacific next.
“If you start thinking like you’re there already, you’re in trouble. It’s all one game at a time,” Tacon said. “You don’t even want to watch film of a team you play two games from now.”
The Crusaders will be focused on getting back to an inside-out approach.
“We need to play our game. We’ll learn from the loss and move on,” Silva said. “No nights will be easy. The ILH is so even. I haven’t seen it like this in 30 years. We have to evolve.”
| At McCabe Gymnasium |
| Kamehameha (2-2) |
12 |
17 |
19 |
25 |
— |
73 |
| Saint Louis (3-1) |
15 |
16 |
18 |
14 |
— |
63 |
Kamehameha: Jayden Zarriello 12, Kamren Victorino-Kato 12, Saint Gelacio 8, Noah Gelacio 4, Fatu Sua-Godinet 5, Peter Hanohano-Hashimoto 0, Kobe Young 12, Kaeler Kahana 13, Pono Arias 3, Nakoa Pauole, 4, Andrew Aleki 0.
Saint Louis: Jett Tanuvasa 14, Jaymason Nunuha 21, Zachary Choo 0, Junior Wily 2, Chris Sykes 8, Noah Browne 4, Noa Purcell 5, Tristan Nichols 8, Isaac Slade-Matautia 1.
3-point goal—Kamehameha 10 (Zarriello 4, Kahana 2, Sua-Godinet, Young, Victorino-Kato, S. Gelacio), Saint Louis 8 (Tanuvasa 3, Nunuha 3, Browne, Purcell).
