The Pearl City Chargers galloped down the stretch against the Castle Knights in a very physical opening round contest in the OIA Boys Basketball Varsity Red Division Championship Playoffs won by the Chargers 41-38 at Pearl City High School.
"We fought all the way through," said Pearl City Chargers Head Coach Lionel Villarmia. "Castle is a very physical team. They play hard. They are well coached. The boys know we weren't playing our best but they never quit."
Pearl City's Kailon Sabate was a work horse for Chargers pumping in a game high 19 points and playing a majority of the game. Teammate Paul Perry dropped 11 points for the Chargers.
Seth Tiumalu 13 (one 3-pointer) and Kela Shea 12 led the Castle Knights in scoring against the Chargers.
Pearl City Head Coach Villarmia commented on his team's top performers against Castle:
"We gotta go with Kailon Sabate, he played almost the whole the game and Paul Perry, our two seniors, Villarmia said. "Also Marc Suniga, he's trying. Marc is fighting a cold for the last three days. I told him it's up to you to play. He told me "I'm going coach, I'm going coach."
The Chargers and Knights stayed close to one another on the scoreboard as the lead went back and forth most of the ball game. In one of the most exciting finishes this season, Pearl City fans were off their feet in the final minutes as the Chargers snatched the victory over Castle. It actually came down to final seconds.
With 4:28 remaining in the fourth period the Chargers trailed the Knights 32-29. Pearl City's Paul Perry closed on the gap to 32-31 after converting 2 of 2 shots from the free throw line. Castle came back on Kela Shea's basket to make the score 34-31. Kapena Akiona scored for the Chargers to move within one point of the Knights at 34-33 with 3:40 on the clock. Castle came back with a basket to increase their lead to 36-33. Pearl City wasted no time scoring on a basket by Kailon Sabate to move back within one point at 36-35. At 1:45 in the period Castle's Seth Tiumalu was fouled and went to line. Tiumalu missed the first of two shots but converted his second shot to put the Knights up 37-35. With 1:16 remaining, Castle's Tiumalu converted 1 of 2 free throws to go up 38-35 over the Chargers. With one minute on the clock Pearl City closed within one point at 38-37 on a basket by Paul Perry. Castle's Tiumalu went to the line after being fouled with with 59.4 seconds on the clock. Pearl City got break as Tiumalu missed both shots. On Pearl City's next possesion, the Chargers took the lead at 39-38 on a lay up by Kailon Sabate. Sabate was fouled on the play and went to the line converting one shot to put the Chargers up 40-38 with 34.8 seconds on the clock. With 17.1 second remaining on the game clock, Sabate went back to the foul line after being fouled while grabbing a rebound under the Knight's basket. Sabate converted one of two shots to put the Chargers up 41-38 and seal the win.
The Chargers move on to the OIA Championship Tournament Quarterfinals and will travel to Kahuku tonight to take on the #1 seed Red Raiders at 6:00pm.
"With Boy's basketball you don't get a break," Villarmia said. "We go out to Kahuku who is the number one seed. We're going to try and control the tempo and if we they can, maybe we got a shot."
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Pearl City's Paul Perry III pictured at the line for the Chargers. Perry scored 11 points and was a force on defense in the Chargers 41-38 win over Castle on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 in the first round of the OIA Boys Basketball Varsity Red Division Championship Playoffs.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
#21 Marc Suniga battled the flu and the Knights offensive attack on Tuesday in the Chargers 41-38 win over Castle at Pearl City High School.
Top Scorers:
Castle: Seth Tiumalu 13 (one 3-pointer), Kela Shea 12, Fa‘asea Lakatani 7, Rudy Tyquiengco 4 (one 3-pointer), Micah Maeda 2.
Pearl City: Kailon Sabate 19, Paul Perry III 11, Tysen Hickcox 4, Kapena Akiona 4, Marc Suniga 2, , Ryan Arguelles 1.
@ Pearl City High School
1 2 3 4 F
Castle (3-9) 10 6 11 11 38
Pearl City (9-3) 9 11 7 14 41