Ciera Tugade-Agasiva scored 11 of her 16 points in the second half as Maryknoll girls basketball team rallied from an 11-point deficit for a 54-50 win over Campbell on Wednesday night at McKinley Student Council Gymnasium.
Center Taimane Faleafine-Auwae added 12 points as both teams opened their nonconference schedule at the Matsumoto Law Group Black and Gold Classic.
Elisa Holakeituai scored all eight of her points in the second half as the Lady Spartans ran their halfcourt offense much more effectively.
“It’s been a while since we played in an actual game, maybe like three months. After we reset in the second half, we got our connection back,” Faleafine-Auwae said.
Tugade-Agasiva never seemed to tire, attacking the paint relentlessly.
“We’ve got to work as a team. Everybody’s going to be a challenge in the ILH,” she said.
Taysia Molina Schutte led Campbell with 15 points, splashing four 3-pointers. Julien Parado tallied 12 points and Aliyah Bantolina chipped in eight.
Patrolling the sideline for Maryknoll was a white-bearded man with long white hair to match. Chico Furtado is back as head coach after one season as director of basketball operations. Tony Ho‘ohulu stepped down as head coach in the offseason.
With two players out with injuries, Maryknoll suited up seven players.
“Campbell’s very athletic. They’ve got good guards. They did a lot of trapping,” Furtado said. “We had to weather the storm a little bit.”
The Lady Sabers connected on five 3-pointers to open a 28-17 in the second quarter, but Maryknoll crashed the offensive glass and finished the first half with a 7-0 run.
Tugade-Agasiva’s bucket on the low post gave the Spartans the lead, 38-37. Campbell never led again.
Tugade-Agasiva scored a key bucket on a pass from Faleafine-Auwae to open Maryknoll’s lead to 48-43 with 3:59 remaining.
The Sabers cut the lead to 48-47, then tied the game on a foul shot by Parado with 1:32 to play.
Tugade-Agasiva drove and lobbed a pass to Faleafine-Auwae for a layup and a 50-48 Spartans lead with 59 seconds left. After Hailey Perez knocked down a free throw, Maryknoll led by three points with 29 seconds to go.
The Spartans put the game away with a foul shot by Faleafine-Auwae and two more by Perez with 3.6 seconds remaining.
Maryknoll shot 24-for-33 at the free-throw line. Campbell finished 6-for-13.
The Spartans tightened up their man-to-man defense after intermission, limiting Campbell to five 3-point attempts.
Sacred Hearts 39, Leilehua 25
Kalysa Ng scored 13 points to pace the Lancers.
Dynasty Maunakea scored nine points on three treys to lead the Mules. Tysha Kailikea-Foster added eight points.
Mid-Pacific 44, McKinley 29
Maile Bellerson sank five 3-pointers for 15 points to lead the Owls over the host Tigers. Kristie Kagawa added 10 points.
Ayva Walthall led McKinley with six points.
Thursday’s games
4:30 p.m. Hawaii Baptist vs. Lanai
6 p.m. Kamehameha vs. Lahainaluna
7:30 p.m. ‘Iolani vs. Konawaena
Friday’s games
10:30 a.m. Leilehua vs. McKinley, junior varsity
Noon Leilehua vs. Hawaii Baptist
1:30 p.m. Lanai vs. Mid-Pacific
3 p.m. Campbell vs. Kamehameha
4:30 p.m. Konawaena vs. Maryknoll
6 p.m. Lahainaluna vs. ‘Iolani
7:30 p.m. McKinley vs. Sacred Hearts
Saturday’s games
Noon Sacred Hearts vs. Lanai
1:30 p.m. Mid-Pacific vs. Leilehua
3 p.m. Maryknoll vs. Lahainaluna
4:30 p.m. Kamehameha vs. Konawaena
6 p.m. ‘Iolani vs. Campbell
7:30 p.m. Hawaii Baptist vs. McKinley
