No. 1 Maryknoll tops No. 2 Punahou in ILH boys hoops

Justin Yap came up with a key steal and a 3-pointer during a pivotal fourth-quarter run as No. 1 Maryknoll outlasted No. 2 Punahou 46-39 on Tuesday night at Hemmeter Fieldhouse.

Maryknoll closed out the win with a 7-1 run in the final four minutes. Yap led all scorers with 16 points. Hunter Marumoto finished with 10 and was a defensive stopper, limiting Punahou sharpshooter Tucker Lam to six points.

“We were talking to ourselves, communicating, playing defense. That’s something we really practice, and the shots fell,” Yap said.

Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant has a viable sharpshooter in Marumoto, but his value has become double-edged.

“Hunter is a really good defender. He’s long. He can see plays forming and be in position to defend. He’s defended the other team’s best players even (last year) as a sophomore,” Grant said.

Ayndra Uperesa-Thomas led Punahou with 11 points.

A large audience watched the ILH regular-season opener between the neighboring Spartans (19-2 overall) and Buffanblu (14-5).

“I’m glad we got this win, our first one (in ILH play). We’ve got three away games. I was worried about that,” Grant said.

Maryknoll had a 39-38 lead in the fourth quarter, but Micah Kubo snuck behind and stole the ball from Kekai Burnett on the block, and Yap buried a wing 3 moments later for a 42-38 lead with 3:13 to play.

Noah Macapulay missed an open 3, but Lam was fouled on a deep 3 attempt. Lam made just one of his three free-throw attempts, and Punahou trailed 42-39 with 1:20 left.

Marumoto then swished two free throws with a minute to go.

Down five, Uperesa-Thomas drove and kicked it out to Macapulay for a corner 3, but he missed. Marumoto rebounded and hit two more foul shots with 40.7 seconds remaining for a 46-39 lead.

Burnett missed a straightaway 3, and Dillon Kellner missed a 2-point baseline jumper before time expired.

The Spartans seemed a bit ragged in the first quarter. They returned from the Damien Tournament in California on Sunday.

“We didn’t practice. All I asked them to do was sprints on their own. That way they get their wind. These guys are disciplined and they’re honorable,” Grant said. “You can still see that we’re a little bit winded.

Maryknoll had its stamina after the first quarter. The Spartans needed that to counter Punahou’s hyper-speed transition.

“We prepare for what they do all the time, but there’s a difference between having a second team running what they do and facing what they actually do,” Grant said. “They’re just so darn quick. They can go for a steal and we push the ball up and within two dribbles they’re back in front of you.”

The Spartans made the short walk across Wilder Avenue back to campus after the game, the only time they go without a bus ride for a road game.

Maryknoll will visit No. Kamehameha on Thursday and No. 4 ‘Iolani on Saturday.

Punahou will visit Saint Louis on Thursday and Mid-Pacific on Saturday.