Marcus Tobin scored 15 points and Makoto Kamata 14 as No. 2 Maryknoll edged No. 1 Punahou 55-49 in boys basketball on Saturday afternoon at Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium. Maryknoll improved to 4-1 in Interscholastic League of Honolulu play (18-2 overall). The win concluded a homecoming sweep for the Spartans. Maryknoll’s girls team outlasted Kamehameha in the opening matchup 62-52.

The Spartans boys led early, fell behind and hustled to get back to a 24-all tie at intermission. The game was a classic ILH defensive struggle, but both teams opened up and pushed the tempo in the final quarter.

“We spent a lot of time getting ready for their press and they didn’t press us until the last four minutes of the game,” Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant said.

With the game tied at 46, Kamata drilled an open 3, and Niko Robben drove hard for a layup to extend Maryknoll’s lead to 51-46 with two minutes to play.

Punahou’s Kaulana Makaula came up with a steal for an and-1 layup to bring the Buffanblu within two points. Kamata then swished two foul shots to put the game out of reach in the final minute.

Tobin’s final two free throws stretched the lead to the final margin.

“We didn’t discuss this, but the kids recognize that there were mismatches because Punahou had foul trouble,” Grant said.

Kalai Akaka scored all 10 of his points in the second half for Maryknoll. Though the Spartans struggled for a change at the free-throw line (13-for-23), Akaka was 6-for-6.

Makaula scored 14 points, Jakob Kobayashi and Ryder Hsiung added 12 each to lead Punahou, which is now 3-1 in league play (18-2 overall). The Buffanblu attempted just 12 foul shots and made seven.

Center Duke Clemens had 11 points, but was in foul trouble early and was double-teamed in the final quarter by the Spartans. Maryknoll was extremely athletic at rim level, going up with two or three shot blockers to thwart Clemens.

“Every game, we try to be aggressive and help, try and take away the back side,” Akaka said.

Punahou played without starting wing Tamatoa Falatea, who is on a football trip to the East Coast.

“He’s a veteran, a great defensive guy with outside shooting,” Buffanblu coach Darren Matsuda said. “We missed him, but we had our chances.”