First game has ILH powerhouse Maryknoll against Kaimuki.
Hawaii Self-Storage Black & Gold Classic
At McKinley Student Council Gymnasium
Thursday’s games
Maryknoll 63, Kaimuki 37
Campbell 46, Kalani 41
Kalaheo 81, Kapolei 44
McKinley 61, University 57, OT
Friday’s games
• Hawaii Self-Storage Black and Gold Classic
3:30 p.m. University vs. Kaimuki
5 p.m. Campbell vs. Kalaheo
6:30 p.m. Kapolei vs. Kalani
8 p.m. Maryknoll vs. McKinley
Saturday’s games
11 a.m. Kaimuki vs. Campbell
12:30 p.m. Kalaheo vs. University
2 p.m. Kalani vs. Maryknoll
3:30 p.m. McKinley vs. Kapolei
* 12/5 – Saturday start times pushed back by 30 minutes.
Maryknoll vs. Kaimuki
First quarter
The Spartans are using some halfcourt pressure, but Kaimuki is settling for quick long-range shots, missing its first five. Justice Sueing Jr. is clearly a presence out there, missing on a dunk while being fouled. Spartans led 8-0 before Kaimuki got a putback by Christian Ono.
First-year Bulldogs coach Greydon Espinda is a stickler for great defense and he’s keeping his team accountable. It’s a tough task against this group of Spartans, which is talented, deep and tall. Maryknoll coach Kelly Grant, who guided Kaimuki to a state title not so long ago, has his team playing solid defense. The Spartans have a lot of talent on the bench, very young talent.
Maryknoll leads 14-4 with 1:43 left.
Spartans lead 17-4 after one quarter.
Second quarter
Spartans are dominating and Kaimuki isn’t doing much to resist. No boxing out. No ball movement. It’s only the second week of preseason, so there’s time for the ‘Dogs to build. But Maryknoll is clearly too deep, too energetic and too sound right now to be challenged. At least this afternoon.
Kaimuki’s midcourt traps are causing Maryknoll’s second group some trouble. On the other side, the Spartans switched from zone to man midway through the quarter. Coach Grant doing a lot of preseason prep work with his team. Ono hits an NBA-range 3. That cuts the score to 31-15.
Halftime
Maryknoll 31, Kaimuki 15.
Third quarter
Maryknoll 45, Kaimuki 20. Reserves played most of the third for Maryknoll. Coach Espinda questioning an official at the end of the quarter after there was no call in the corner after a bunch of bumping and collisions. He’s a former OIA official; any of these newer officials might want to avoid the no-whistles-during-a-blowout approach. Overall, much better ball movement and defense for the Bulldogs.
Fourth quarter
Starters back in for maryknoll. They depart with 4:10 remaining and the Spartans up 55-29.
FINAL: Maryknoll 63, Kaimuki 37. Justice Sueing Jr. led all scorers with 19 points, including 11-for-12 from the foul line. Brian Washington, their shotblocking freshman, added 10 points, and Saige Pulu added seven on strong drives. Christian Ono and Sisifo Lauvao led Kaimuki with 12 points each. Ono hit two treys and Lauvao finished with four treys. Shanson Kapanui added seven points.
Kalani vs. Campbell
First quarter
Kalani is the home team, white uniforms, red numbers and letters. Campbell in black with orange numbers, letters and piping either side.
Second game is underway. Interesting matchup. Coach Wyatt Tau’s Sabers lost a lot to graduation from a team that reached the OIA D-I final last season. Kalani lost some key graduates, too, but Alex Tungpalan is back, and he’s hit two 3-pointers already for a 6-4 Kalani lead.
The Falcons are pressing fullcourt, very willing to run and gun with the Sabers. Tungpalan hit his first three 3-point attempts and Kalani leads 9-8. Campbell hasn’t missed its first four shots.
Kalani has just nine players in uniform today. One of Campbell’s new players is 6-5 David Marrero, a senior transfer from the mainland.
Sabers have taken a 16-11 lead, using their 1-2-2 zone to keep the 3-point line occupied. Jomar Gapusan, one of the sparkplugs for last season’s team, is running the point nicely. Kalani has its second group in and they’re doing a nice job with fullcourt pressure. Not so good in halfcourt offense. Campbell is daring the Falcons to score in the post.
End first quarter: Campbell 16, Kalani 13.
Second quarter
Falcons committed to fullcourt pressure, and it’s working. #5 free throws give KHS a 17-16 lead. Campbell is trying to run, but throwing the ball all over the place when Gapusan isn’t handling the ball.
Campbell fastbreak equals points. Nice dish from Gapusan to Michael Merchant, another returnee. Steal by Kalani, two-on-one fastbreak leads to a layup by #5, Kalani up 19-18. Merchant with another layup, Campbell leads 20-19.
Marrero with a point-blank block, his second, on a baseline drive by one of the Falcons. He just stood there with his hand up to the sky, easy block. He may not score a lot, but his ability to block shots without fouling is a big weapon for the Sabers.
Nice adjustment by the Sabers, using Marrero as a safety valve in the backcourt against the press. Similar to what Kelly Grant did with his big man (Tobias Schram) two seasons ago. Can’t beat that lighthouse effect. But one of Campbell’s forwards overdribbled near midcourt and got picked.
Merchant’s second rainbow 3 pushes the Sabers’ lead to 23-19 with 2 minutes left.
Morrero’s third block gives Campbell a final possession before the half. Merchant has two FT tries, missing the first, making the second.
Halftime: Campbell 26, Kalani 19. Just learned that four Kalani players are busy tonight with a chorus concert. Three of them are post players. More playing time for everyone else.
Third quarter
Tungpalan has hit two more threes, and now has five for the game (5-for-7). Still, Campbell is battling on the offensive glass and overpowering Kalani’s small frontcourt. Sabers lead 30-25, 4:45. Morrero hits one of two at the line, 31-25.
Turning point: Kalani had a breakaway layup, but got called for carrying. Campbell then got a corner 3 by Lamart Dudley off a pass from Gapusan to open a 34-27 lead. The big man, Morrero, also blocked his fourth shot of the game.
End third quarter: Campbell 34, Kalani 29.
Fourth quarter
Tungpalan swishes another trey, this one from the left corner, for his sixth of the game. Kalani within 34-32. Falcons take a 35-34 lead on a 3-pointer by #12 (sorry no roster on paper right now). Morrero scores on a turnaround shot in the low post. High release, impossible to stop. CAM 36, KLN 35, 6:00.
Falcons get a two-bounce trey from the top by Cory Mitchell to tie it at 38. Dudley hits one of two foul shots, then Gapusan executes a pick-and-roll elbow jumper for a 41-38 Campbell lead. Morrero with his fifth block, another one without jumping, to get the ball back to the Sabers.
Morrero follows his own miss, CAM 43-38. Gapusan at the line, 1:10 left, shot on a 1-and-1.
FINAL: Campbell 46, Kalani 41.
Note: Of Campbell’s missing players, it’s Jayce Bantolina, not Alika, who is practicing for a mainland all-star football game. I wrote Alika — his younger brother — in Friday’s Star-Advertiser.
Kalaheo vs. Kapolei
Mustangs in white uniforms, orange numbers and letters, blue trim. Hurricanes in black, teal numbers, white trim. Hard to see if you’re not wearing spectacles or contacts.
First quarter
Mustangs turned it on via a fullcourt press, getting three treys along the way. Very quick, fluid and aggressive. Kaleb Gilmore is fitting in quite well with his new team. Kupaa Harrison still the mainstay for the Mustangs.
End first quarter: Kalaheo 22, Kapolei 12.
Second quarter
Here’s something Gilmore showed a lot at Maryknoll the past two years: dribble right, fake crossover and finish at the basket — and-1. They know it’s coming, still can’t stop it. Lightning quick.
Now he’s a blur through Kapolei’s fullcourt press, dishing to Harrison for an easy layup. Kalaheo leads 26-15.
Halftime
Kalaheo 46, Kapolei 20.
Final
Kalaheo 81, Kapolei 44. This looks like a potential OIA championship team. States? Yes, the Mustangs will contend. There’s no dominant post game; Harrison is a wing player who happens to be a post defender in Hawaii high school basketball. But they probably won’t need a post scorer, just like two years ago when they won the state crown. There are enough slashers and passers who will wind up feeding Harrison for layups if he’s not spotting up for threes. Kalaheo looks very good.
Harrison played three quarters and led all scorers with 21 points, including two treys. Alec MacLeod added 14, Gilmore had 13 in one half, and Ashton Arnold tallied nine points. Captain Whitlock added six points. In all, the Mustangs made nine 3-pointers and the UH/Chaminade connection is undeniable:
>> Coach Alika Smith played for UH.
>> He coaches nephew Kekai Smith and son Jalen Smith.
>> Kaleb Gilmore’s dad, George, was a star at Chaminade.
>> Alika Smith’s late father, Pete, coached at Chaminade.
>> Captain Whitlock’s father, Tes, played for UH.
>> Ashton Arnold is a son of former UH coach Gib Arnold.
Never seen anything like it. But their play on the court is, actually, the real story. Precision in the halfcourt offense, good fullcourt pressure, and their zone is effective, too.
McKinley vs. University
Tigers in white uniforms with gold/tan numbers/letters and black trim. Junior Rainbows in forest green with white numbers, black trim and the old Cleveland Cavaliers-style horizontal-striped piping (white and black) on either side.
Halftime
University 22, McKinley 21
Ragged first half with a lot of fastbreaks, some patience in halfcourt offense by both teams. Tigers definitely trying to push the ball. They’ve got speed and enough offense with Dan Villejo and Macjun Otarra. UHS is relying on its big man, 6-4 Ryan Hobus, for easy buckets, but overall, this is a defensive battle.
Fourth quarter
The Jr. ‘Bows led most of the way, but saw the lead disappear in the final 2 minutes. The Tigers got clutch 3-pointers from Huthaifah Dalia and freshman Kyle Moraga to close the gap and force overtime. UHS had a final shot before the buzzer, but missed from the baseline in heavy traffic.
Overtime
Villejo scored seven of his game-high 23 points in the extra period for McKinley. Otarra added 20 points for McKinley in a 61-57 win.
Hobus led UHS with 17 points. Lachlan MacLeod added 13 points. Anson Canencia had nine points and Micah Agcaoili had seven.
UHS is 2-1 in preseason play. McKinley is 1-0 and will play Maryknoll on Friday.
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