Bryce Tatupu-Leopoldo said the shot felt good coming out of his hand.
“When it went in, I had a better feeling,” the burly Farrington senior said.
Tatupu-Leopoldo’s jumper in the lane bounced off the rim then fell through the net with just over 2 seconds left in overtime, giving the eighth-ranked Governors a 60-58 win over No. 1 Kalaheo in the semifinals of the OIA Red boys basketball playoffs on Tuesday at McKinley.
“When we were going into overtime we just thought about one word, believe,” Tatupu-Leopoldo said. “Believe in each other, believe in yourself, believe in the team.
“We just believed in each other, we pushed the ball, and we were able to get a shot off.”
Farrington saw a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter dissolve into a two-point deficit in the final minute. But Ranan Mamiya’s steal and layup tied the game with 25 seconds left and the teams ended regulation knotted at 57.
Farrington and Kalaheo combined to make one free throw each in the first 3:40 of overtime. After a time out, Farrington worked the ball down the court and found Tatupu-Leopoldo, who drove and hit the game winner.
“Like football, Bryce in always in the right place at the right time,” Farrington coach Allan Silva said of Tatupu-Leopoldo, a linebacker for the Governors in the fall. “He’s amazing. He’s just that kind of player.”
Farrington, which went 7-4 in a roller-coaster regular season, will attempt to repeat as OIA Red champions on Thursday at McKinley.
Kalaheo rolled through the OIA East at 11-0, including a 52-38 win over Farrington on Jan. 21, and will play for third place following its first loss since the preseason.
“We have to be ready to play from the get-go,” Kalaheo coach Alika Smith said, “Take nothing away from Farrington, they did an unbelievable job. They isolated us, they exposed us defensively where we weren’t helping like we usually do.”
Farrington’s interior duo of Tatupu-Leopoldo and Tua Unutoa powered the Governors, with Unutoa leading Farrington with 17 points. Jake Smith provided an outside threat with two 3-pointers in a 14-point night.
“They really put it together on offense and defense,” Silva said. “(In the first-round game against) Waianae they started to get better. Against Campbell they showed a lot of guts and tonight it was all guts at the end.”
Farrington’s balance was just enough to overcome a 23-point performance by Kalaheo guard Kaleb Gilmore. Kupaa Harrison spurred the Mustangs with eight points in the first quarter and finished with 14 and Alec MacLeod added 10.
The teams went into halftime tied 30-30 and after Kalaheo took a 35-34 lead on Kekai Smith’s 3-pointer at the 6:25 mark of the third quarter, Farrington bolted ahead with a 12-2 run over the remainder of the period.
Farrington stretched the lead to 47-37 early in the fourth quarter before Gilmore led the Mustangs back and cut the deficit to four when he completed a three-point play with 3:02 left.
But Unutoa responded with a driving layup, followed by another after grabbing a rebound and dribbling the length of the court, giving Farrington an eight-point cushion with 2 minutes left.
The lead evaporated in a 38-second flurry as Kalaheo converted two steals into scores and Gilmore drove the baseline for a layup to give the Mustangs a 56-55 lead with 1:13 left.
After a Harrison free throw, Farrington missed a shot and the Mustangs grabbed the rebound. But Mamiya intercepted a pass in the backcourt and drove for the tying layup.
“I just thought maybe they weren’t expecting anybody to come take the ball,” Mamiya said. “I credit my teammates for getting a little trap over there and making him pass the ball early. If it wasn’t for them that wouldn’t have happened.”
At McKinley
| Farrington |
13 |
17 |
16 |
11 |
3 |
— |
60 |
| Kalaheo |
16 |
14 |
7 |
20 |
1 |
— |
58 |
FARRINGTON–Keola Kealoha 5, Ranan Mamiya 6, Jay-ar Sebastian 0, Tua Unutoa 17, Jake Smith 14, Makana Correia 0, Kapono Kakalia 3, Bryce Tatupu-Leopoldo 10, Montana Liana 5.
KALAHEO–Zachary Marrotte 0, Kekai Smith 8, Alec MacLeod 10, Captain Whitlock 3, Andrew Kearney 0, Kaleb Gilmore 23, Jalen Kuhia-Smith 0, Ashton Arnold 0, Kupaa Harrison 14.
3-point goals–Farrington 2 (Smith 2). Kalaheo 4 (Gilmore 2, K. Smith, Whitlock).
Kahuku 48, Leilehua 30
After trailing 21-18 at halftime, the Red Raider defense held the Mules to three field goals in the second half and Kahuku pulled away to join Farrington in the OIA Red championship game.
Red Raider guard Keanu Akina led the way with 14 points and his four 3-pointers complemented the inside play of Hyrum Harris and Denhym Brooke.
Brooke scored 10 of his 12 points in the second half and Harris finished with 10.
Guard Joseph Gouty led Leilehua with nine points. The Mules play at Kalaheo for third place on Thursday.
At McKinley
| Kahuku |
9 |
9 |
16 |
14 |
— |
48 |
| Leilehua |
10 |
11 |
6 |
3 |
— |
30 |
KAHUKU–Kesi Ah Hoy 4, Kieran Spencer 0, Alohi Gilman 0, Kenny Spencer 2, Tamamoko Green 0, Keanu Akina 14, Tamanui Nagy 0, Bradlee Anae 0, Samuta Avea 6, Denhym Brooke 12, Hyrum Harris 10.
LEILEHUA–Jarron Kim-Raguirag 0, Liam Fitzgerald 0, Joseph Gouty 9, David Tibayan 0, Diego Aguirresaenz 0, Jayseon Baine 4, Nicholas Duran 4, Koa Kauhi 6, AJ Gainwell 7.
3-point goals–Kahuku 5 (Akina 4, Avea). Leilehua 1 (Gainwell).
OIA 5TH-PLACE SEMIFINALS
Campbell 46, Mililani 37
Lamart Dudley scored 13 points and David Marrero added 10 as the Sabers defeated the Trojans.
Campbell advances to the 6 p.m. fifth-place game and will host Moanalua.
At Campbell
| Mililani |
6 |
9 |
11 |
11 |
— |
37 |
| Campbell |
17 |
9 |
6 |
14 |
— |
46 |
MILILANI–Chanse Ramirez 12, Kamaki Pacleb 6, Braiden Rosario 5, Kekoa Fields 4, Cameron Muh 0, Raekwon Cherry 3, Clarence Rodriguez 0, Jonathan Orpillia 0, Jaden Murashima 0, Kalakaua Timoteo 1, Mason Mackley 0, Clarence Gathers 6, Marcus Mafi 0.
CAMPBELL–Jomor Gapusan 7, Michael Merchant 7, Lamart Dudley 13, Zachary Arata 0, Alika Bantolina 5, Jayce Bantolina 4, Alphonzo Gamble 0, David Marrero 10.
3-point goals–Mililani 2 (Cherry, Rosario). Campbell 2 (A. Bantolina, Merchant).
Moanalua 70, McKinley 65
Kyrie McRaven poured in a game-high 26 points as Na Menehune held off the Tigers. Huthifa Abdel-Jawad scored 18 points in the loss for McKinley, which saw its season come to an end.
At Moanalua
| McKinley |
15 |
20 |
10 |
20 |
— |
65 |
| Moanalua |
14 |
13 |
13 |
30 |
— |
70 |
MCKINLEY–Kyle Moraga 0, Dan Villejo 14, Kevin Nagasawa 0, Mark Burke 4, Gilbert Antonio 7, Jonah Howard 7, Macjun Otarra 15, Keanu Pratt 0, Huthifa Abdel-Jawad 18.
MOANALUA–Eric Miyauchi 11, Dom Bailey 7, Jacob Ramello 0, Christian Casinas 0, Jacob Matayoshi 0, Rodson Kealohi 3, Darren Fontanilla 0, Karson Kruz 6, Kyrie McRaven 26, Elijah Davis 0, Isaiah Jackson 0, James Wilkins 11, R.J. Dominguez 6.
3-point goals–McKinley 6 (Abdel-Jawad 2, Villejo 2, Antonio, Howard). Moanalua 4 (Wilkins 2, Kealoha, Miyauchi).
ILH DIVISION I-AA TOURNEY
‘Iolani 52, Maryknoll 50
Single-elimination tournament
Semifinal
High scorers–Iol: Quinton Matautia 16, Conor Hannum 14. MS: Kyle Wong 17, Michael Smith 11.
Kamehameha 42, Punahou 39
Single-elimination tournament
Semifinal
High scorers–KS: Akoni Kahala-Guevara 17. Pun: Cody Punzal 9, Hari Annamalai 9.
ILH DIVISION II TOURNEY
Hanalani 77, Island Pacific 54
Jeff Schaake scored 17 of his game-high 28 points in the first half as the Royals defeated the Navigators in one of three league tournament play-in games.
Island Pacific, the Division-III champion, knocked down 11 3-pointers.
Hanalani will host a 5 p.m. semifinal game on Thursday against St. Francis.
At Hanalani
| Island Pacific |
11 |
7 |
21 |
15 |
— |
54 |
| Hanalani |
21 |
20 |
18 |
18 |
— |
77 |
ISLAND PACIFIC–Micaiah Lum 12, Michael Brenner 2, Dustin Agbayani 0, Jake Arakawa 7, Ryan Posiulai 9, John Black 6, Robert Roy 0, Jediah Conachan 0, Kaipo Orosco 11, Mana Kaululaau 7, Giovanni De Lugo 0.
HANALANI–Jeffe Leaman 0, Jeff Schaake 28, Chaz Kubo 7, Zane Pantil 17, Kenan Cooper 7, Josh Rotz 6, Aaron Leong 4, Connor Kaneshiro 4, Vasant Patwardhan 0, Randy Billeza 1, Ryan Kaneshiro 3.
3-point goals–island Pacific 11 (Lum 4, Orosco 3, Posiulai 3, Kaululaau). Hanalani 6 (Pantil 3, Schaake 3).
St. Francis 62, Christian Academy 52
Jansen Kupau scored 14 points to lead the Saints to victory over the Patriots. Joshua Luna scored 19 points to lead Christian Academy, whose season came to an end.
At St. Francis
| Christian Acad. |
6 |
11 |
11 |
24 |
— |
52 |
| St. Francis |
16 |
12 |
15 |
19 |
— |
62 |
High scorers–StF: Jansen Kupau 14, Noah Kurosawa 12, Justin Sarsuelo 11, Boris Vukovic 10. CA: Joshua Luna 19, Xavier Matthews 14, Isaiah Harris 10.
University 60, Le Jardin 48
Anson Canencia scored a game-high 18 points and Milton Monico knocked down 5 3-pointers as the Jr. ‘Bows ended the Bulldogs’ season. University advances to a 6 p.m. semifinal on Thursday at Damien.
At Klum gym
| Le Jardin |
14 |
16 |
13 |
5 |
— |
48 |
| University |
12 |
12 |
17 |
19 |
— |
60 |
LE JARDIN–Gerald Lawson 11, Xavier Nelson 0, Brysen Naki 0, Michael Gabrelcik 10, Mitchell Hashimoto 6, Christian Jones 4, Tristen Watts 2, Corey Grip 5, Dominic Venezia 10.
UNIVERSITY–Micah Agcaoili 7, Ryan Hobus 10, Anson Canencia 18, Lachlan MacLeod 0, Denver Tong 0, Radyn Kaleikini 4, Kapena Fitzgerald 0, Milton Monico 17, Shaun Mahiko 2, Tyler Yoshinaga 2, Frank Hobus 0, Otto Taylor 0.
3-point goals–Le Jardin 2 (Gabrelcik, Hashimoto). University 6 (Monico 5, Agcaoili).
