Freshman JJ Mandaquit scored 14 points, including two free throws with eight seconds left, as No. 3 ‘Iolani edged No. 2 Punahou 50-45 to finish second in ILH regular-season play and clinch a state-tournament berth.
Sophomores Aaron Claytor and Taniela Taliauli added 11 points each as ‘Iolani finished second in the standings at 9-3. Saint Louis (10-2) clinched first place earlier in the day with a 74-30 victory over Damien. Punahou began the day 7-4 in league play.
Drake Watanabe led the Buffanblu with 19 points.
The stakes were high for Punahou, ‘Iolani and Maryknoll (8-4). The latter outlasted Kamehameha in overtime, 49-43, and needed a Punahou win over ‘Iolani to create a three-way tie for second place. Instead, the Raiders took control of their destiny with a tough road win.
The last time ‘Iolani had an official season, it was a rough 0-13 campaign during coach Ryan Hirata’s first year.
“Coming off that year we felt like we had more to prove,” senior wing Jack Jones said.
Zacary Tenn got to play an official baseball season last spring as one of the state’s top pitchers, but his role on the basketball team is about blue-collar work in the trenches.
“I think it means most to Coach Ryan. He proved something this year,” Tenn said.
Hirata was both thrilled and relieved. Not only has ‘Iolani gone from the bottom to a state berth, he has a 3-week-old son at home.
“It’s one thing to be exhausted and another to be excited-exhausted. That’s what I am for this team. Our journey is not complete,” he said. “This team has really grown over the course of this season. For them to earn a state-tournament berth, I can’t be more proud of this team.”
A frantic crowd of around 300 at Hemmeter Fieldhouse saw the visiting Raiders play with tenacity. After Taliauli and Mandaquit drove for baskets in traffic, ‘Iolani led 22-11 early in the second quarter. Punahou never stopped pushing the ball in transition off made baskets or misses.
“They were scoring in transition, so we had to make adjustments,” senior guard Bailey Bumanglag said.
Punahou had its chances, getting within one point two times in the final two minutes, and had an open look from 3 down 48-45 with 15 seconds left.
“ ‘Iolani played good. They played locked in. Ryan’s guys came in super focused like Saint Louis did,” Buffanblu coach Darren Matsuda said.
The two fastest-tempo teams in the ILH played it out evenly through the third quarter. ‘Iolani led 35-27 going into the fourth.
A tough drive for two by Watanabe brought Punahou within 38-37 with four minutes remaining. ‘Iolani clung to its narrow lead by hitting free throws.
Mandaquit hit two, and after Peyton Macapulay sank two foul shots for Punahou, Taliauli scored on a traditional three-point play to open the lead to 43-39.
Watanabe made a foul shot with 2:16 left, and after Dash Watanabe made the follow shot on his brother’s miss, it was 43-42 with 2:13 to go.
Bumanglag answered with two free throws to increase ‘Iolani’s cushion to 45-42 with two minutes remaining. He added another charity shot for a 46-42 ‘Iolani lead with 52.5 seconds to play, but Tucker Lam splashed an NBA-range 3 from the left wing to bring Punahou within 46-45 with 45 ticks left.
Claytor clutched up and hit two foul shots with 27 seconds left. Lam had an open look from the left wing, but missed with 15 seconds left and ‘Iolani rebounded. Mandaquit then sealed the win at the foul line.
‘Iolani and Saint Louis will have byes in the ILH playoff tournament to be held on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Maryknoll, the third-place team, will meet the Mid-Pacific/Damien winner, and Punahou will meet Kamehameha. The winners will meet for third place and the final ILH state-tourney berth.
That winner will meet runner-up ‘Iolani, and the winner of that contest will take on Saint Louis for the ILH championship.
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Other scores
ILH
Varsity Boys
Saint Louis 74, Damien 30
Maryknoll 49, Kamehameha 43, OT
Punahou II 58, Maryknoll II 33
Le Jardin 50, ‘Iolani II 43
Varsity Girls
Sacred Hearts 48, Mid-Pacific 28
