The host team, ‘Iolani, takes on tough South Medford (Ore.) in the third-place game of the ‘Iolani Classic girls tournament tonight.
No. 2-ranked Lahainaluna just defeated Mililani 61-35 in the fifth-place game. The Lady Lunas lost to Bishop O’Dowd in a close game during Thursday’s opening round. Bishop O’Dowd will meet Konawaena in the title game later tonight.
FIRST QUARTER
As they did yesterday against Konawaena, South Medford is destroying people in the paint. Height and size advantage — huge edge — at every position. But Kawai Kahalehoe and Sierra Buscher have just swished 3-pointers to give the Raiders a 12-10 lead.
Kahalehoe, a freshman, drives on UH recruit Juli Tago and scores on a potential and-1 play. She hits the FT, IOL leads 18-14 with :32.9 left. This is beginning to look like South Medford’s game with Konawaena. Tight on-ball pressure giving them some trouble. IOL using fullcourt pressure, looks like the 2-2-1 that the IOL boys team uses.
Quarter ends with IOL ahead 18-16.
SECOND QUARTER
Tago began to heat up with a tough drive for a layup and a corner 3, but the Raiders answered with a corner 3 by Tori Lynn Maeda. Panthers are sticking with man defense and have a 28-26 lead with 2:38 left.
Baseline jumper by Tago opens the lead to four, then she executes a give-and-go fastbreak layup with Hannah Washington for another bucket. Kellie Okamaura’s reverse layup on the break cuts the lead to 32-28.
THIRD QUARTER
Panthers open the lead to 40-32 when Brooke Maeda nails an open 3 from the top on a set play, then splashes a fastbreak 3 from the left wing. Tago answers with a runner on the right side in traffic, nice shot off the glass.
Center Jasmin Falls continues to work the low post for entry passes and layups. Lauren Orndoff with an open 3 from the left wing, and Washington hustles for a putback on the fastbreak. South Medford has its biggest lead, 51-39, with 3:14 left in the third.
Kahalehoe with a wing 3 despite a hand in her face on a handoff from Okamura, but the Panthers race upcourt and get another layup. SMHS leads 53-44.
Tago with a sweet dish to Washington on a cut, bounce pass for a layup. Tori Lynn Maeda drives hard from the top, scores at the bucket and hits the foul shot. Lead is down to 55-48. Buscher hits one of two FTs to cut the lead to 55-49 before the end of the quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER
Tago opens the quarter with a smooth 15-foot banker from the left. Panthers 57-49. Then she drives right and hits a 12-foot baseline J. Not a lot of ballers have that shot in their arsenal off the dribble. Last one I can remember with one that refined was Randy Canencia, circa 1983.
Cami Aguinaldo’s wing 3 cuts the lead to 60-52 with 5:46 left. But the Raiders need stops. Falls scores again on the block. No stopping her and the Raiders seem unwilling to trap fullcourt. Pressure on-ball, but no trapping. Tago powers her way to a turnaround bank shot on the low post. Complete game, that one.
Kahalehoe picks a Panther guard clean and is fouled en route the rim. One and one… misses. Panthers lead 68-59, time out with 3:04 left.
Freshman Taylor Wu with a steal and layup, cuts the lead to 68-61 with 2:20 left. Time out by South Medford with 2:05 left.
Raiders foul Tago, who misses her 1-and-1. But IOL misses an open 3, and Orndoff his one of two foul shots, South Medford 70-61.
Aguinaldo at the line with :44 left. She makes one of two. 70-63, :42.
Emily Nomura shooting two for IOL. Misses the first. Makes the second. 70-63, :41.5. Time out IOL. Coach Young and his staff did NOT want their team to foul Tago the last time, but she missed anyway. Don’t think they will foul her again, though.
Orndoff back at the line shooting two with :38.5 left. First shot all net. Second shot all net. 72-63.
Tori Maeda misses a tough driving shot in traffic. Orndoff back at the line. Misses the first. Makes the second, 73-63, :28.9.
Orndoff at the line once again. Misses the first. Makes the second. 74-63.
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