Isiah Gelacio hit a 16-foot runner with 4 seconds left in regulation to lift No. 4 Maryknoll over No. 2 ‘Iolani 37-35 on Wednesday night at Clarence T.C. Ching Gymnasium.
The win propelled the Spartans into a first-place tie with ‘Iolani. Each team is 4-1 in Interscholastic League of Honolulu boys basketball play.
Gelacio, who finished with eight points, said the play drawn up by coach Kelly Grant originally focused on getting Jaylen Cain (nine points) the ball.
“It’s actually supposed to go to Jaylen coming around a screen, but Jordyn (Perez) broke the play and passed me the ball in the corner,” said Gelacio, a junior guard. “I knew there was seven or eight seconds when I caught it.”
He drove left and wound up near the right elbow with enough separation to make something happen.
“I was actually going to shoot a 3, but they were tight on me so I knew I had to attack. I saw Hugh (Hogland) in the middle,” said Gelacio, who rarely shoots runners in games. “I practice it a lot.”
The shot was swished through and ‘Iolani called time out with 3.5 seconds to go. The inbounds passer, Helam Baldomero, had Hogland downcourt near the rim with single coverage, but opted to pass to guard Justin Genovia in the backcourt instead. Genovia dribbled toward halfcourt and launched a 50-foot prayer that missed at the buzzer.
“I’m happy. We’re young, but our three juniors (Cain, Perez, Gelacio) and even Kaulana (Schmidt), our senior, have played a lot of minutes,” Grant said of his starters.
It was a physical matchup with a slow tempo, a grind typical of ILH boys basketball.
Hogland, a 6-foot-9 senior, led ‘Iolani with 16 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. No other Raider scored more than six points. As a team, they shot just 3-for-12 from the 3-point arc and 15-for-40 (38 percent) overall.
Ten of ‘Iolani’s 11 turnovers came in the second half, all but snuffing out the opportunity to put the game out of reach when the visitors had a nine-point lead late in the first half.
“We knew they would be physical,” Raiders coach Dean Shimamoto said. “It was a slow-moving, really ugly game on both sides and they made more plays than we did.”
Despite the presence of Hogland, Maryknoll had bangers under the boards in burly 6-4 center Riden Leong and Schmidt, a strong 6-2 post.
There were three lead changes in the first quarter as both teams started and finished in halfcourt man defenses. The Raiders took command in the second quarter, going on a 13-4 run as Cole Hogland hustled for six points. ‘Iolani led 24-15 late in the period.
Maryknoll chipped away, but ‘Iolani had a 28-20 lead early in the third quarter after Bailey Alabanza fed Hogland for a left-handed jump hook in the lane. The Spartans forced five ‘Iolani turnovers in the third and went on a 13-3 run. Gelacio’s driving layup gave the home team a 33-31 lead going into the fourth quarter.
The fourth stanza had the defensive intensity of a battle royale. With 1:50 left and Maryknoll up 35-33, a double foul was called on a collision near midcourt as both benches erupted, but remained on the sideline. Moments later, Genovia stole the ball and Hogland drove from halfcourt for a layup that tied the game at 35 with 39 seconds left.
The Spartans then set up for the final play.
‘Iolani (4-1) 11 13 7 4 — 35
Maryknoll (4-1) 11 7 15 4 — 37
‘Iolani: Helam Baldomero 0, Kawika Lee 2, Ryan Van Cantfort 0, Bailey Alabanza 6, Noah Bumanglag 2, Justin Genovia 3, Cole Hogland 6, Hugh Hogland 16.
Maryknoll: Isiah Gelacio 8, Jordyn Perez 6, Makoto Kamata 2, Kainoa Ferreira 0, Jaylen Cain 9, Kaulana Schmidt 6, Kalai Akaka 0, Payton Grant 0, Marcus Tobin 6, Riden Leong 0.
3-point goals—‘Iolani 3 (Alabanza 2, Genovia), Maryknoll 3 (Perez 2, Cain).
Saint Louis 58, Mid-Pacific 42
Chris Sykes went off for 24 points and the Crusaders dispatched the Owls.
Junior Wily and Jaymason Nunuha each scored 10 points for Saint Louis, which took off in the second quarter and held off Mid-Pacific’s comeback.
Zion Shepherd led the Owls with 15 points.
Mid-Pacific (1-4) 12 7 7 16 — 42
Saint Louis (1-4) 11 14 9 24 — 58
Mid-Pacific: Travis Murayama 2, Nalu Coito 5, Colin Ramos 4, Hooper LeBlanc 0, Kamana Lapina 0, Reyn Nakagawa 2, Hugh Donlon 1, Travis Hayashi 1, Kyle Lagana 2, Zion Shepherd 15, Robert Thompson 7, Jacen Kimura 3, Cameron Hersh 0.
Saint Louis: Jaymason Nunuha 10, Keawe Silva 4, Trey Taba 0, Lo’i Rivera 0, Junior Wily 10, Noah Browne 0, Lachlen Hanneman 2, Chris Sykes 24, Noa Purcell 6, Gino Quinones 0, Josh White 2.
3-Point goals-MPI 4 (Thompson 2, Coito, Kimura).
BIIF GIRLS
Konawaena 73, Christian Liberty 3
