KANE'OHE — Spencer McLachlin banked in a 5-foot putback on Miah Ostrowski's missed baseline layup with 5.4 seconds remaining, and Ostrowski intercepted the ensuing inbounds pass to lift Punahou to a thrilling 65-64 victory over Timpview (Provo, Utah) last night in the opening round of the inaugural Merv Lopes Holiday Classic.

A crowd of about 500 at dimly lit Kane'ohe Armory watched as the Buffanblu (9-1) overcame a tremendous shooting exhibition by the Thunderbirds and rallied from a 16-point, third-period deficit to advance to today's 4 p.m. quarterfinal against Baldwin.

Timpview, the third-ranked team in Utah, fell to 5-3.

"Even when we were down by a little, we still played like we were down by a lot," said Punahou senior guard Kyle Whitford, who swished three 3-pointers in the final 5:54 to fuel the comeback and finished with 15 points on five 3's. "We kept the same intensity, and that was the key."

With torrid shooting from all five starters, Timpview built a 53-37 lead late in the third period. But Whitford drained a 3-pointer with six seconds left in the quarter, then Henry Cassiday made a steal at halfcourt and swished a running 22-footer at the buzzer to cut it to 53-43.

"That six-point play changed the whole attitude of the game," Thunderbirds coach Perry Wildeboer said. "When they went from being down 16 to 10, now all of a sudden they're playing with a chance. It changed the whole mentality, and we got tentative and struggled some against their pressure (defense)."

Timpview, which had made seven 3-pointers in the first three quarters, was limited to two field goals in the final 7:20.

"The way (the Thunderbirds) were playing (until then) was pretty amazing," Buffanblu coach Dan Hale said. "They were executing everything and everybody could shoot. If you were late on a trap or slow rotating over, they would make you pay. But that end of the third quarter definitely gave us a lift, and I think our pressure finally took a little off of their game down the stretch."

Whitford's fifth 3-pointer of the game cut the lead to 62-61 with 2:58 remaining, then Ostrowski's two free throws with 1:38 left put the Buffanblu up 63-62 for their first lead since the game's opening minutes.

Bronson Kaufusi sank two free throws with 24 seconds remaining to put Timpview back up, 65-64. But Ostrowski, a three-time Advertiser All-State guard, slashed down the left baseline and his layup attempt caromed into the arms of a crashing McLachlin, who immediately banked it in from the left side of the free throw lane.

Ostrowski then cut in front of a Thunderbird at halfcourt to pick off the inbounds pass and dribbled out the clock.

TIMPVIEW 20 13 20 11—64

PUNAHOU 11 17 15 22—65

TIMPVIEW — Jray Galeai 2, Tanner Runia 16, Michael Salazar 11, Andrew Cusick 18, Chris Nash 14, Bronson Kaufusi 3, Vaughn Greening 0, Marcus Hunt 0, Tui Crichton 0. Totals 24 8-10 64.

PUNAHOU — Robbie Toma 3, Miah Ostrowski 15, Kimo Makaula 2, Kyle Whitford 15, Henry Cassiday 5, Trevor Crabb 0, Kameron Steinhoff 9, Spencer McLachlin 14, Casey Shibuya 2. Totals 23 12-17 65.

3-point goals: Timpview 8 (Runia 4, Salazar 3, Cusick); Punahou 7 (Whitford 5, Toma, Cassiday).

EL TORO (CALIF.) 55, 'IOLANI 52

El Toro, a California Interscholastic Federation quarterfinalist in 2006, took the lead for good at 50-48 on Jonathan Bastos' three-point play with 1:45 remaining and held off the five-time defending state champion Raiders.

'Iolani had taken a 25-24 lead on Ryan Dung's baseline layup with 1:24 left in the first half and kept the lead until Bastos' three-point play, which started with his steal at halfcourt.

The Chargers went up, 54-50, on Ryan Gahan's two free throws with 21 seconds remaining, but Dung scored on a putback to cut it to 54-52 nine seconds later.

After Daman Starring made the second of two free throws to make it 55-52 with seven ticks left, Dung's 24-footer from beyond the top of the key glanced off the rim at the buzzer.

EL TORO 22 4 11 18—55

'IOLANI 14 15 10 13—52

EL TORO — Matt Ahrens 9, Jonathan Bastos 5, Dren Bruns 13, Ryan Gahan 15, Tim Hespe 0, Drew Hillman 2, Brett Lopez 4, Matt Verbeck 0, Daman Starring 3, Andre Murillo 4. Totals 21 8-13 55.

'IOLANI — Kela Marciel 8, Ryan Dung 15, Case Miyahira 12, Liloa Nobriga 12, Lionel Fujioka 2, Brandon Ball 0, Bricen McCartney 0, Berton Wong 0, Pablo Warner 3. Totals 23 1-5 52.

3-point goals: El Toro 5 (Bruns 2, Gahan 2, Ahrens); 'Iolani 5 (Dung 3, Miyahira 2).

MONTROSE CHRISTIAN (MD.) 72, MILILANI 41

Mililani hung tough for one half against the Mustangs, who are ranked No. 14 in USA Today's latest Super 25. The Trojans trailed 28-23 with about three minutes remaining after Nick Kanno's 3-pointer and trailed by only 12, at 37-25, at halftime.

But Montrose Christian, from Rockville, Md., broke open the game by outscoring the Trojans 19-6 in the third period.

MONTROSE CHRISTIAN 20 17 19 16—72

MILILANI 12 13 6 10—41

MONTROSE CHRISTIAN — Adrian Bowie 14, B.J. Blake 8, Sean Roscoe 4, Troy Brewer 15, Shane Walker 2, Brandon Rascoe 0, Micah Fraction 0, Douglas Browman 2, Phil Wood 0, Tristan Spurlock 3, Terrel Vinson 12, Isaiah Armwood 12. Totals 26 12-16 72.

MILILANI — Scot Burns 3, Jordan Torres 0, Curtis Murakami 2, Kendrick Clarke 0, Fred Nillo 2, Donovan Olmos 3, Nick Kanno 13, Aaron Lenchanko 2, Brandon Dela Cruz 7, Jonathan Keen 3, David Otto 6. Totals 15 5-8 41.

3-point goals: Montrose Christian 8 (Brewer 5, Blake 2, Spurlock); Mililani 6 (Kanno 3, Burns, Olmos, Dela Cruz).

OTHER GAMES:

MERV LOPES HOLIDAY CLASSIC

Castle 53, Waialua 47.

High scorers—Cast: Scott Keiter-Charles 14.

Baldwin 63, Nanakuli 19.

High scorers—Bald: John Salmo 13, Chase Nakamura 12.

Kalaheo 44, Kea'au 36.

High scorers: Kal: Cheynne Lishman 17, Tyler Caswell 11. Kea: Kekai Cazimero 13

Hilo 69, Thompson 68.

High scorers—Hilo: Dillin Spikes 17, Zach Tomlinson 11, Nicholas Acosta 10. Thom: Tristian Sealy 41, Michael Alexander 14.

Kamehameha-Hawai'i 42, Leilehua 25.

High scorers—Lei: Art Laurel 10.

WALTER WONG HOLIDAY CLASSIC

AT MCCABE GYM

Kamehameha II 50, Hamamatsu Nishi (Japan) 38.

High scorers—KS: Noble Ahchoy 12. HN: Ryuichi Hoda 10.

South Torrance (Calif.) 89, Lutheran 24.

High scorers—ST: K. Murata 17, R. Muskin 15, K. Turner 10. Lut: Derek Alik 11.

Arlington (Calif.) 93, Assumption (Canada) 37.

High scorers—Arl: Davey Hopkins 25, Donnell Hamilton 22, Brandon Rieg 12. As: Deryk Anderson 13.

North Torrance (Calif.) 79, Lake Washington (Wash.) 77 (OT).

High scorers—NT: Like Duperron 37, John Gabio 17. LW: Greg George 18, Nick Pizzuto 13, Kirby Young 13.

Seaquam (Canada) 68, ASSETS 40.

High scorers—Sea: Clayton Dendy 21, Derek Poulton 10. AST: Nick Castello 18, Grant Kitagawa 12.

Monroe (Wash.) 76, Saint Louis II 22.

High scorers—Mon: Marcus Silva 15, Stephen Waltman 14, Jason Wright 12.

Kaiser 60, Lick Wilmerding (Calif.) 37.

High scorers—Kais: Andrew Wingert 16, TR Phillips 10, Kalua Noa 10. LW: J. Costa-Roberts 10.

Saint Louis 77, Listowel (Canada) 24.

High scorers—SL: Scott Smith 23, Michael Tuiloma 14, Lucas Gonsalves 10.

NA MENEHUNE HOLIDAY CLASSIC

AT MOANALUA

Farrington 63, 'Iolani II 52.

High scorers—Farr: Rey Bartian 23, Elijah Filifili 11. Iol: Matt Smith 17, Tyler Hee 10.

Campbell 52, Mid-Pacific 49.

High scorers—Camp: Mike Makinano 15, Jayden DeLizo 10. MPI: Devon Takenaka 16, Marcus Holyfield 13.

McKinley 41, Damien 34.

High scorers—McK: Nainoa Lessary 13. Dam: Haku Correa 14, Aminis Thompson 10.

Moanalua 60, Hawai'i Baptist 47.

High scorers—Moa: Josh Kure 21, Stevie Austin 13. HBA: Landon Herder 11.

Kailua 64, Word of Life 39.

High scorers—Kail: Tim Maghinay 10, Zachary Akamine 10, Ryan Naluali 10. WOL: Kamalu Kealoha 12.

'Aiea 77, Kahuku 60.

High scorers—'Aiea: Lofa Li'ili'i 13, James Buchanan 12, Obie Woods 12. Kah: Alema Tachibana 11, Willie Ching 11.

Punahou II 47, Roosevelt 37.

High scorers—Pun: Drew Uperesa 10. Roos: Darren Erickson 12.

Maryknoll 47, Wai'anae 32.

High scorers—Mary: Garrick Chock 15.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.