Playing inspired with its "backs against the wall," 'Iolani held off Kamehameha, 67-63, last night to scratch its way back into the Interscholastic League of Honolulu boys basketball title chase.

A crowd of about 1,100 at the Warriors' Kekuhaupi'o Gym — including the entire Kamehameha state champion football team — watched the Raiders improve to 7-2 in the ILH, a half game ahead of the Warriors (6-2) for second place behind first-place Punahou (6-1).

"For us seniors, if we lost tonight we wouldn't have a chance to win the ILH, so we knew we had to come out with a lot of energy, especially in a place like this," said 'Iolani guard Kainoa Chu, who finished with a team-high 16 points.

The Raiders jumped out to a 12-3 lead in the first five minutes and led 29-21 at halftime, only to see Kamehameha close it to 29-28 within the first 56 seconds of the third period. But Chu scored on two fast-break layups and Andrew Skalman added another steal and layup to push the lead back to 35-28.

Brandon Orpillia's baseline jumper at the third-quarter buzzer closed it to 44-42, but Chu opened the fourth period with another layup and then a three-point play to stretch the lead to 49-42.

After Orpillia's layup cut it to 51-49 with four minutes remaining, Chu scored on another layup to start a 9-1 run and the Warriors could not get closer than the final score.

"Every run we made, they answered," Kamehameha coach Jesse Nakanishi said.

'IOLANI (7-2) 10 11 21 21—63

KAMEHAMEHA (6-2) 16 13 15 23—67

'IOLANI — Andrew Skalman 13, Ammon Baldomero 0, Reece Foy 0, Reid Saito 5, Jarrett Arakawa 5, Josiah Sukumaran 9, Kainoa Chu 16, Trevyn Tulonghari 13, Evan Sukita 0, Kainoa Scheer 6, Jourdan Simmonds 0, Adam Ching 0, John Foy 0, Gabriel Vega 0. Totals 24 15-18 67.

KAMEHAMEHA — Christopher Bright 0, Shane Matayoshi 2, Frank Ho 6, Micah Christenson 19, Brandon Orpillia 7, Brent Auyong 0, Chaz Bajet 0, Davis Achong 1, Devin Kuhns 2, Dyrbe Enos 9, Charlton Tang 17, Shane Yoshida 0. Totals 22 14-21 63.

3-point goals — 'Iolani 4 (Skalman, Saito, Arakawa, Tulonghari). Kamehameha 5 (Christenson 2, Ho, Orpillia, Enos).

Reported by Tara Aiu

SAINT LOUIS 62, MID-PACIFIC 60

Mika Wong scored 14, Jaris Popacca-Falefa 12 and Nainoa Frank 10, helping the Crusaders win in overtime.

SAINT LOUIS (3-5) 9 12 9 18 14—62

MID-PACIFIC (2-6) 10 15 6 17 12—60

SAINT LOUIS — Keenan Paulos 0, Acen Cabral 6, Quinn Arakawa 1, Marcus Umu 4, Nainoa Frank 10, Drew Viena 7, Max Botticelli 0, Mika Wong 14, Joseph Kanoa 0, Starr Sua-Passi 0, Bryan Cieslik 7, Jaris Popacca-Falefa 12, Reeves Khoeler 1. Totals 18 25-42 62.

MID-PACIFIC — Logan Murakami 1, Jordan Doi 0, Shaun Dobovan 7, Shane Kurihara 27, Patrick Matthews 8, Matthew Reyes 2, Ty Kono 8, Andrew Swanson 7, Dayton Uchiyama 0, Matthew Carland 0. Totals18 19-29 60.

3-point goals — Saint Louis 1 (Popacca-Falefa). Mid-Pacific 5 (Kurihara 2, Kono 2, Dobovan).

Reported by Sean Aoyagi

MARYKNOLL 57, DAMIEN 55

Isaiah Dowdell scored 15, Jacob Mayer 12 and A'i Cashman-Fernandez 10, lifting the host Spartans to an overtime victory.

DAMIEN (2-5) 7 12 15 12 9—55

MARYKNOLL (2-7) 14 5 10 17 11—57

DAMIEN — Mark Baay 15, Dylan Yonamine-Baysa 2, Matt Labaguen 4, Breysen Lee 3, Kevin Aganos 0, Jeremy Torcuato 4, JB Ferriera 0, Tyler Tamayo 9, Jacob Cachola 10, Lonn Iwashita 8. Totals 16 21-37 55.

MARYKNOLL — Andrew Wu 0, Masashi Uematsu 0, Craig Shoji 0, Chad Sumulong 6, Trevor Ventura 2, Isaiah Dowdell 15, Jacob Mayer 12, Hirokazu Sasaki 4, A'I Cashman-Fernandez 10, Jordan Tomas 0, Nua Iuvale 8. Totals 19 15-39 57.

3-point goals — Damien 2 (Baay 2). Maryknoll 4 (Dowdell 2, Cashman-Fernandez, Iuvale).

Reported by Maryknoll Athletics

DIVISION II BOYS

'IOLANI 76, HAWAI'I BAPTIST 69

Taylor Kennedy scored 18, Curtis Martin 16 and Scott Sakaida 10 for the host Raiders.

HAWAI'I BAPTIST (3-6) 17 21 19 12—69

'IOLANI (7-3) 19 27 12 18—76

HAWAI'I BAPTIST — Chasen Fukuda 3, Bryan Smits 15, Brennan Lee 0, Matt Wong 0, John Kagehiro 5, Christian Morimoto 26, Sage Chun-Bulseco 6, Nathan Le 3, Caleb Gaskins 3, Landry Kiyabu 2, Byron Kam 0, Travis Teramae 0, Kalei Hosaka 6. Totals 23 12-19 69.

'IOLANI — Sam Lee 1, Larsen Leu 4, Josh Seto 6, Tracy Young 2, Jordan Tottori 8, Scott Sakaida 10, Matt Talavera 7, Curtis Martin 16, Reese Zukeran 4, Taylor Kennedy 18. Totals 29 15-25 76.

3-point goals — Hawai'i Baptist 11 (Morimoto 5, Smits 2, Hosaka 2, Chun-Bulseco, Gaskins). 'Iolani 3 (Sakaida 2, Seto).

Reported by 'Iolani Athletics

HANALANI 66, LUTHERAN 20

PJ Minaya scored 13, Darin Kamealoha 12, and Kainoa Petersen 10 for the host Royals.

LUTHERAN (0-11) 4 4 5 7— 20

HANALANI (8-3) 29 14 12 11—66

LUTHERAN— Jordan Kumasaka 6, Bronson Hagihara 0, Shaun Takahashi 2, Brandon Kushima 7, Ethan Mee 3, Simeon David 2, Jourdan Johnson 0. Totals 8 4-6 20.

HANALANI — Andrew Futaka 0, Darin Kamealoha 12, PJ Minaya 13, Zach Baysa 3, Matt Guerrero 5, Daneil Muraoka 7, Zach Relles 4, Jon Suh 1, Kainoa Petersen 10, Aaron Schoniwitz 4, Matt Rybarcyk 5. Kainoa Souza-Chaves 2. Totals 27 8-12 66.

3-point goals — Hanalani 4 (Minaya 2, Baysa, Guerrero).

Reported by Rob Araki

WORD OF LIFE 46, ISLAND PACIFIC 44

Keawa Poggi scored 16 points, including a 3-pointer with 4 seconds left to play, lifting the visiting Firebrands.

WORD OF LIFE (4-8) 12 9 14 11— 46

ISLAND PACIFIC (5-6) 10 13 10 11—44

WORD OF LIFE — Ryan Alvarado 7, Keawa Poggi 16, Javison Caires 0, Isaac Iwamoto 9, Alex Robinson 2, Nathaniel Lim 6, T.J. Russell 0, Ben Siania 6, Keoki Holloway 0. Totals 19 3-11 46.

ISLAND PACIFIC — Dylan Yamamoto 2, Malik Veazie 2, Jason Brenner 7, Andrew Lee 0, Shane Brantley 0, Kyle Arzaga , London Amorin 16, Jackson Durrett 3, Theo Duplechain 11, Willie Carter 3. Totals 16 10-10 44.

3-point goals — Word of Life 5 (Lim, Poggi 3, Iwamoto). Island Pacific 2 (Brenner, Amorin).

Reported by Rob Araki

DIVISION I GIRLS

PUNAHOU 43, KAMEHAMEHA 24

Khaliyah Thompson, and Jennifer Ching each scored eight points to lead the visiting Buffanblu.

PUNAHOU (11-1) 12 10 8 13—43

KAMEHAMEHA (3-9) 2 3 11 8—24

PUNAHOU — Kaylin Okuma 3, Jennifer Hwang 7, Khaliyah Thompson 8, Janet Li 0, Turner Wong 0, Brittnie Lau 2, Demi Suzuki 4, Mysha Sataraka 1, Julia Brand 2, Ashley-Anne Feria 0, Jennifer Ching 8, Michelle Parke 3, Kysa Ludviksen 3, Hailey-Ann Maeda 2. Totals 14 13-20 43.

KAMEHAMEHA — Dalian Krampert 5, Krystal-Lei Mills 0, Noelani Mikami 5, Tia Perreira 2, Deja Tafiti 2, Manuhaaipo Noa 0, Kellsie Crowell 5, Haley Paakaula 0, Brachelle Nueku 1, Makanauiokalani Borden 2, Kennedi Akana 0, Tyana Akana 2, Lilia Maio 0. Totals 9 6-14 24.

3-point goals — Punahou 2 (Hwang, Suzuki). Kamehameha 0.

Reported by Tara Aiu

DIVISION II GIRLS

'IOLANI 40, LA PIETRA 28

Khaydan Gabriel scored 13, Ashlyn Yokoyama added 11 to lead the host Raiders.

LA PIETRA (5-9) 6 4 5 13—28

'IOLANI (11-3) 11 8 9 12—40

LA PIETRA — Kiana Hoohuli 2, Jenny Moody 5, Veronica Thomas 0, Marana Sewell 5, Sarah Aref 0, Shalina Ishiki 0, Marissa Hoen 10, Marissa Freeman 0, Salote Lopes-Liutolo 4, Monique Smith 0, Mckenzie Hoover 2, Angelina Ishika 0. Totals 12 4-7 28.

'IOLANI — Ashlyn Yokoyama 10, Khaydan Gabriel 13, Dana Gibson 0, Jelene Wong 6, Malia Ma 6, Mele Halaifonua 0, Alisha Kodama 1, Stasha Eliu 2, Katie Sakumoto 2. Totals 17 4-12 40.

3-point goals — La Pietra 0. 'Iolani 2 (Yokoyama 2).

Reported by 'Iolani Athletics

HAWAIIAN MISSION 41, LUTHERAN 36

Janae Wong scored 14 points and Stephanie Valencia added 10 for the visiting Knights.

HAWAIIAN MISSION (4-10) 6 16 2 17—41

LUTHERAN (4-10) 6 15 11 4—36

HAWAIIAN MISSION — Jana Sauder 0, Alana Muller 4, Melissa Mishima 0, Samantha Ramos 7, Julia Sauder 0, Caroline Kim 6, Erika Tsubokura 0, Paris Rollins 0, Hope Leao 1, Stephanie Valencia 10, Janae Wong 13. Totals 14 12-18 41.

LUTHERAN — Lexi Kaneshiro 4, Kayla Suganuma 0, Mari Gibo 6, Marcie Moribe 0, Lorien Pelletier 2, Kaleihiwa Ah New 12, Kamalei Ah New 10, Aja Keyes 2, Lia Veikoso 0. Totals 16 3-6 36.

3-point goals — Hawaiian Mission 1 (Wong). Lutheran 1 (K. Ah New).

Reported by Jomell Navales

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com