Taimane Faleafine-Auwae scored 13 points, including the go-ahead basket with 1:45 left, as No. 2 Maryknoll escaped with a 43-40 win over No. 9 Punahou on Tuesday night.
Davina Li’s 3-point try from the right wing missed, and Punahou could not get another 3-point shot up before the buzzer.
“I’m doing good. I’m just sore,” Faleafine-Auwae said. “Today was kind of hectic. Both sides were turning it over, not making shots. It really came down to the last possession of the game.”
The Buffanblu went ahead 40-39 on a drive and lefty layup by Laynee Torres-Kahapea with 2:25 remaining.
With single coverage, Faleafine-Auwae worked the low post and banked in a 5-footer to give Maryknoll a 41-40 lead. After a Punahou turnover, Ciera Tugade-Agasiva sank two free throws to open Maryknoll’s lead to 43-40 with 39.8 seconds to go.
Tugade-Agasiva then stepped in defensively and took a charge on the baseline from Keilani Stewart with 17.7 seconds left.
After Tugade-Agasiva missed the front side of a 1-and-1 with 16.4 seconds remaining, Punahou called time out. Torres-Kahapea drove, drew triple coverage and kicked out to Li, whose 22-foot shot from the right wing missed. Tanea Loa rebounded, but the clock ran out.
“We had a good look, but it was everything before that,” Punahou coach Gary Pacarro said. “We had a couple of turnovers. Take nothing away. The kids played great over at Maryknoll. I know they’re fatigued. My hat’s off to them on a great win.”
With the win, Maryknoll (21-4 overall) advanced to the ILH tournament final and will meet No. 8 Kamehameha, which surprised No. 3 ‘Iolani 46-34 in the other semifinal. Kamehameha will visit Maryknoll today for the tourney title and the remaining state-tournament berth. It will be the third game in as many nights for both teams.
The tournament winner will play at ‘Iolani for the league championship on Thursday at 6 p.m.
On Monday, Maryknoll was in position to earn the regular-season title and an automatic state berth, but let a 13-point lead slip away in a 41-36 tiebreaker loss to ‘Iolani.
“Well, we got together after the ‘Iolani game and we told each other we need to be strong mentally, be there for each other through the ups and downs we go through,” Tugade-Agasiva said. “I’m proud of the bench stepping up today.”
The senior finished with nine points, shooting 7-for-11 from the free-throw line, and eight rebounds. Isabella Arrisgado added eight points and five rebounds, and Dylan Neves tallied seven points.
Torres-Kahapea led Punahou (12-9 overall). Loa had five points and a game-high 11 rebounds, and Stewart chipped in seven points. Punahou shot 0-for-5 from the arc in the final quarter after Maryknoll switched to a 2-3 matchup zone.
