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Lunas secure 19th straight MIL title

Donez scores 31, Lahainaluna tops Maui High 63-31

By Robert Collias 5 min read

KAHULUI -- There are a few things that one can count on in the Maui Interscholastic League, perhaps the most impressive of which is the Lahainaluna High School girls basketball team winning the league crown.

The Lunas rolled to a 63-31 win over Maui High in the championship game of the Central Pacific Bank/MIL Division I tournament -- the win at the Shine Matsui Athletic Center wrapped up the 19th straight MIL title for the Lunas (12-1).

Lola Donez, a senior who grew up in Lahaina before transferring to Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, Calif., led the Lunas with 31 points. She has already signed to play next season at California.

"This is exactly what we came home for, now it's on to the next step," Donez said with her MIL gold medal draped around her neck. "We definitely had a slow start to the game, they definitely came out punching like we knew they were going to, but once we picked it up and figured it out they started to get a little bit tired and we started to get our momentum."

Maui High (7-6) will play Kamehameha Maui tonight at 7 p.m. at the Matsui Athletic Center for the MIL's second berth to the Heide & Cook/HHSAA state tournament. The third-seeded Sabers advanced to the MIL tournament final with a 34-33 win over the second-seeded Warriors on Monday.

"This young team is starting to find their identity of being a tough team," Maui High coach Vic Aguirre said of his squad that has just three seniors. "They've been living in that, just ran out of juice a little bit today. We've been preaching to them 'Don't measure yourself at the beginning of the season, measure yourself at the end of the season.' "

The Lunas opened a 14-8 lead late in the first quarter on a 3 by Fangafitu Tasini followed by a layup by Donez.

The Sabers climbed within 14-11 at the end of the quarter on a 3 by Lyndee Sabas, who finished with a team-high 11 points.

The Lunas opened an 11-point lead on three occasions in the second quarter and led 31-22 at halftime.

A jumper by Donez 50 seconds into the second half made it 33-22, and a nice feed from Donez to Pelenaise Lukela-Koniseti moments later made it 35-24.

Donez stole the ball and went coast-to-coast to make it 39-26 with 3:28 left in the third quarter. Lukela-Koniseti gave the Lunas a 15-point advantage on a putback basket before Donez nailed a 3 to make it 44-27 with 2:10 left in the third quarter.

Donez hit Matahikulangi Faleta on a court-length pass for a layup, and the Lunas finished the third quarter on an 11-0 run to take a 50-27 lead to the final frame.

The run continued and a cutback basket by Faleta with just under 6 minutes remaining pushed the lead to 57-27. The run reached 24-0 as both teams emptied their benches in the final frame.

The run ended when freshman Maeghan Magarin scored on a breakaway for the Sabers with 2:00 to play.

"You know what? It's a great accomplishment," Lahainaluna coach Iolani Kaniho said. "When we started this season we were talking after our first practice and said it'd be a miracle if we can pull this one out. Somehow these girls, with all the stuff they went through, to bring it together, especially at the end.

"They got close, they're a pretty tight-knit group and to see them succeed tonight is awesome."

Kaniho said his group is ready for the state tournament, especially with Donez leading the way.

"Once everybody gets going we're kind of tough to beat," Kaniho said. "We're looking forward to seeing what we can do (at state). We're not too sure who we gonna play. We've got some ideas, but once that gets set we'll go to the drawing board and see what we can do. I mean, I got the best player in the state, I believe, so we always get puncher's chance."

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

MAUI HIGH (7-6)

Mareea Casio 0, Maeghen Magarin 4, Kyra Okuyama 2, Lyndee Sabas 11, Darsee Seegmiller 0, Naiara Bal 4, Madelein Milliet 4, Bella Nania-Cole 0, Kayla Faye Vergara 0, Alayna Borden 6, Keirstyn Boco 0, Shyla Pulu-Valdez 0.

LAHAINALUNA (12-1)

Fangafitu Tasini 7, Pelenaise Lukela-Koniseti 4, Mercedes Armstrong 0, Juseana Rae Delatori 11, Natalie Sa 0, Lola Donez 31, Xeita Emerson-Santiago 0, Matahikulangi Faleta 10, Annie Taukeiaho 0 .

Maui High 11 11 5 4--31

Lahainalun 14 17 19 13--63

WEDNESDAY’S OTHER RESULTS

• BALDWIN BOYS 37, KAMEHAMEHA MAUI 32

KAMEHAMEHA MAUI (7-4)

Noah Kalehuawehe 1, Kanekoa Maielua-Kekiwi 2, Zachary Pratt 0, Pounamu Kaimikaua 0, Kolten Waikiki-Caldeira 2, Kamahiwa Molitau 11, Cody Gardanier 0, Dylan Schnitzer 8, Imaikalani Kramer 6, Ka'imi Kahalekai 2.

BALDWIN (10-1)

Xyler Nakamura 2, Laa Manangan 3, Chaz Villados 3, Nathaniel Sanchez 0, Evan Manarpaac 0, Casey Talana 4, Jayden Torres-Leeber 3, Dylan Kuia 4, Tristen Benigno-Miyose 0, Trotter Apo 18.

Kamehameha Maui 8 10 8 6--32

Baldwin 6 11 9 11--37

• LAHAINALUNA BOYS 61, MAUI HIGH 55

MAUI HIGH (2-9)

Ivan Domingo 12, Zarek Casio 2, Rodney Vaka 18, Isacc Domingo 0, Shane Milliet 6, Dansen Agaran 10, EJ Ramones 2, Sione Ngalu 3, Makoa Lindsey 2.

LAHAINALUNA (5-6)

Aiden Navarro 0, Jayah Bayol 19, Katakana Galon 5, Ryder Lombardi 0, Kailikea McCabe 5, Nyles Ines 0, Jacques Djurberg 15, Tevainui Loft 7, Trasyn Nava 10.

Maui High 8 12 16 19--55

Lahainaluna 13 14 22 12--61

Starting at /week.