Its two-time All-State Player of the Year returned, and Saint Louis trailed Kamehameha 10-2 to begin the game.
Other than that, it was a standard performance by the three-time defending state champions. Top-ranked Saint Louis rallied for a 59-44 victory over visiting No. 10 Kamehameha on Saturday night at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletic Complex.
Caelan Fernando led Saint Louis (17-1 overall) with 16 points, adding five steals.
“We came out flat. Coach (Dan Hale) called that time out and we got together. That’s when we turned it up,” Fernando said. “He said, ‘They’re kicking our butts.’ We had to respond.”
Point guard Shancin Revuelto had eight points and seven assists without a turnover.
“It was just keep playing. It was our first home game. Coaches said we’ve got to set tempo, and that’s what we did,” Revuelto said. “Kamehameha’s a good team. They just have to find their identity, but it’s just their first (league) game.”
Two-time Player of the Year Pupu Sepulona returned from the Crusaders’ state-championship football season — and a partially torn MCL — to add 10 points off the bench. He played his junior year at 225 pounds, but is now 274 pounds as a future Utah Utes defensive lineman, and still relatively svelte.
“It felt the same. Not that much adrenaline. I’m going out there, having fun, doing what I’ve got to do for my team,” the 6-foot-3 senior said. “I know I’m much heavier than last year, but I feel the same. I don’t feel heavier. When I move on the court, it’s the same. I’ve been rehabbing, going to the court to shoot around, doing my 3 miles.”
Keanu Meacham added eight points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Corey Bailey continued to play a key role, chipping in six points, five rebounds and one block.
“Corey didn’t score a lot, but he was a factor. He’s inside, he’s getting rebounds, making nice passes. Sometimes it’s not going to be your night on points, but how else can you contribute? He’s really learned that,” Hale said.
It was Saint Louis’ first game since playing in The Holiday Classic in California.
“The guys didn’t panic. It was good for us to come together as a group. You can play all the preseason tournaments you want. When you come to an ILH game and everybody’s zero wins, zero losses, everybody’s got a chance,” Hale said. “We knew Kamehameha is a very good team. We just kept our heads and got back into our (defensive) rotations.”
Nahiku Nahale-a led Kamehameha (3-7 overall) with 15 points, while Jaeden Miyahana hustled for nine points, four boards and a block. Makai Barr finished with six points, five assists and six turnovers, covered mostly by Saint Louis’ lockdown defender, Stone Kanoa.
“I liked the first quarter, but other than that, we lost our momentum. Then when we only scored three points in the second quarter, we’re playing catch-up after that,” Kamehameha coach Ron Durant said. “We weren’t moving the ball like we usually do, shots aren’t falling and we’re losing the 50-50 battles. We’ve got to cut down on the turnovers.”
‘Iolani 59, No. 7 University 54, OT
Reserve guard Noah Singer hit a corner 3 to tie the game at 52 with 6.1 seconds left in regulation, and the Raiders pulled away in overtime for a win in their ILH regular-season opener.
“I was ready. It was Declan (Beckette) who set me up,” Singer said. “On to the next game.”
The Raiders trailed by five points with 36.9 seconds left in regulation.
“The term ‘One Team’ comes into play. Any time you step into the ILH, you’re tested,” ‘Iolani coach Ryan Hirata said.“Every team is going to face that. Guys stepped up today when their numbers were called. Singer hit a big-time shot to send it into overtime. Guys selflessly put their bodies on the line defensively. We know we’re a smaller team, so we have to play with heart every single time we step on the court. I’m just so proud that we stuck in there and pulled it out.”
Senior guard Aidan Wong scored 11 of his game-high 20 points in the first quarter as ‘Iolani (11-6 overall) opened a 19-12 lead.
“We knew they were going to stick to our scorers (Aydan Goo and Beckette), how they can shoot, so I knew I had to be more aggressive,” Wong said.
After Beckette drove hard for a bucket, the Raiders had their biggest edge, 21-12, early in the second quarter.
ULS (10-8 overall) closed it to 26-23 by the half. Alika Ahu’s steal and coast-to-coast layup gave the Jr. ’Bows a 46-44 lead with 5:02 left in regulation.
Trey Ambrozich’s free throws opened the lead to 51-46 with 36.9 seconds to go, but Ayden Goo’s 3 from the left corner tumbled in. ULS committed four crucial turnovers in the final 4 minutes of regulation, but led 52-49 after Todd McKinney sank a foul shot.
Beckette then drove through the middle and spotted Singer alone in the left corner. The junior’s shot hit the rim, bounced off the glass and tumbled through the rim to tie the game.
McKinney’s potential game-winning 3 missed at the buzzer.
Goo splashed a 23-foot trey from the top begin the extra period, and Wong, who also had dished seven assists, swished to free throws for a 57-52 lead with 1:54 left. Ambrozich’s reverse layup cut the lead to three points, but ULS got no closer.
Beckette made two of his four foul shots in the final 25.6 seconds to ice the win.
McKinney led ULS with 18 points. Ambrozich tallied 14 points and nine rebounds, Koa Laboy had 11, six boards and four assists. Ahu finished with eight points. The past week has been rough for the Jr. Bows. Most of the team fell ill during The Holiday Classic in California last weekend. Guard Kenna Quitan did not suit up for Saturday’s game.
