With the game and the ILH-lead on the line in the fourth quarter
Tuesday night, Taylor Mounts stepped up big-time, scoring 15 of his game-high 25
points in the final stanza and Iolani whipped Kamehameha, 59-45. Mounts’
heroics sent the Warriors to their third loss in conference play; the Raiders
and idle Punahou each have only two losses and stand in a virtual tie for first
place in the standings.
Tuesday night, Taylor Mounts stepped up big-time, scoring 15 of his game-high 25
points in the final stanza and Iolani whipped Kamehameha, 59-45. Mounts’
heroics sent the Warriors to their third loss in conference play; the Raiders
and idle Punahou each have only two losses and stand in a virtual tie for first
place in the standings.
“We needed to win,” Mounts said afterwards. “Doc (Mugiishi, the
Iolani head coach) told us at halftime that somebody’s got to step up. I just
got more and more confident as the game moved along.”
Iolani head coach) told us at halftime that somebody’s got to step up. I just
got more and more confident as the game moved along.”
“We rely on him; he’s a good pressure-breaker,” said Mugiishi. “It
was a very intense, very physical game.”
was a very intense, very physical game.”
Iolani surged in front early, with Mounts scoring eight points in the
first quarter. And when his back-up, Nick Christman, scored on a tough move in
the lane, the Raiders led by 14 points, 20-6, after the first period.
first quarter. And when his back-up, Nick Christman, scored on a tough move in
the lane, the Raiders led by 14 points, 20-6, after the first period.
But the Warriors rallied back to make it a tight game. First, it was
Pi’I Minns with a couple of big buckets on a 9-0 Warriors’ run in the second
quarter, and then it was Edmund Kanao and Auwae DeRego combining for nine
straight points in the third quarter as Kamehameha pulled to within 29-27 with
about five minutes left in the third.
Pi’I Minns with a couple of big buckets on a 9-0 Warriors’ run in the second
quarter, and then it was Edmund Kanao and Auwae DeRego combining for nine
straight points in the third quarter as Kamehameha pulled to within 29-27 with
about five minutes left in the third.
That’s when Iolani’s pressure defense made an impact. Kela Marciel
got a steal and a breakaway layup, and Pablo Warner followed with another
breakaway, as the Raiders pushed their lead to seven points. But Brandon Dumlao
hit a 30-footer at the third-quarter buzzer, a huge three-pointer, to make it a
four-point game with Iolani on top, 38-34.
got a steal and a breakaway layup, and Pablo Warner followed with another
breakaway, as the Raiders pushed their lead to seven points. But Brandon Dumlao
hit a 30-footer at the third-quarter buzzer, a huge three-pointer, to make it a
four-point game with Iolani on top, 38-34.
The fourth quarter belonged to Mounts and Warner. The 6-foot 6-inch
Mounts, who is being recruited by a couple of DIII teams in the Northwest,
scored seven straight points to open the period, and then Warner, who finished
the night with 14 points, had back-to-back breakaway layups to push the lead to
double digits.
Mounts, who is being recruited by a couple of DIII teams in the Northwest,
scored seven straight points to open the period, and then Warner, who finished
the night with 14 points, had back-to-back breakaway layups to push the lead to
double digits.
Kamehameha refused to surrender, however, and when Kawika Lyons
nailed a three-pointer from the wing with just under a minute left, the Warriors
trailed by only six, 51-45. After that, though, Mounts sealed the Iolani win
with eight straight free throws and the Raiders ended up winning by a final
difference of 14 points.
nailed a three-pointer from the wing with just under a minute left, the Warriors
trailed by only six, 51-45. After that, though, Mounts sealed the Iolani win
with eight straight free throws and the Raiders ended up winning by a final
difference of 14 points.
“He’s a very good free throw shooter,” Mugiishi said. “All of them
were important.”
were important.”
“It’s become a whacky race,” Mounts said of the current ILH boys
basketball race. “It’s almost like the BCS; everybody who’s number one keeps
getting knocked off.”
basketball race. “It’s almost like the BCS; everybody who’s number one keeps
getting knocked off.”
Right now, Punahou and Iolani are at number two and three in the state
rankings, and most importantly, tied for number one in the ILH. Only time will
tell who stands there when the conference race wraps up it’s “whacky” finish
next week.
rankings, and most importantly, tied for number one in the ILH. Only time will
tell who stands there when the conference race wraps up it’s “whacky” finish
next week.
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