HHSAA Division II BOYS BASKETBALL: Pahoa outlasts McKinley in OT, 68-64

Kyle Sakamoto

Defending champion Pahoa survived and it had to go back and forth, and to overtime against McKinley to do it.

Nicklas Fisher scored 22 points, including seven in overtime, and finished with 12 rebounds as Pahoa beat McKinley, 68-64, in a first-round state Division II boys basketball game at Kalani.

Pahoa, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion and No. 2 seed, led by as much as 64-59 in overtime with the Tigers getting as close as two on two occasions. Khalil Lucas sealed it with two free throws with 2.7 seconds left.

Pahoa, which trailed 43-34 after three periods, started the fourth on a 10-0 run.

Fisher scored four points, and Sonny Miguel and Devin Gonsalves hit 3-pointers during the rally, which put the Pahoa (10-6) ahead 44-43 with 5:10 remaining.

There were three ties and five lead changes in the fourth.

“He had heart and we didn’t give up,” said Pahoa coach Eric Yoshimura. “The boys did good.”

McKinley, the Oahu Interscholastic Association runner-up, tied it at 53-53 after a pair of free throws by Jason Ramano with 24 seconds remaining.

On the final possession of regulation, Pahoa’s Miguel missed an off-balance 3-pointer from the right baseline at the buzzer.

In the third period, McKinley (12-6) outscored Pahoa 27-13. Alex Ironside scored 13 of his 23 in the period. He also contributed three assists and two rebounds in the third for McKinley.

The Daggers’ Fisher, a 6-foot sophomore lefty, did most of his damage on drives to the bucket and putbacks.

“We always need a good inside-outside game,” Yoshimura said. “He brings that for us.”

Miguel added 17 points, Luis had 11 and Gonsalves chipped in 10 for Pahoa. Luis also contributed four steals.

McKinley got 13 points each from Ramano and Eric Machiguchi. Wilhelm had eight rebounds, and Rio Kwon and Rivera both had four steals.