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They asked Rylee Cabuyadao-Caswell to do one job: guard one of the best scorers in the state of Hawaii.
The Kamehameha guard did her best, limiting Maryknoll's Pua'ena Herrington to 19 points. Cabuyadao-Caswell also splashed a clutch corner 3 in the final minute as No. 1-ranked Kamehameha rallied for a 44-42 win over fourth-ranked Maryknoll in a high-noon showdown at Maryknoll Community Center.
"Coach Pua (Straight) just wanted us to shut Pua (Herrington) down and limit her scoring. She's one of the toughest players to guard. Definitely one of the best scorers in the state," Cabuyadao-Caswell said. "Don't let her get anything easy and try to get in her head."
Herrington came into the game averaging more than 24 points per game. She was blanketed by Cabuyadao-Caswell and shot 2-for-7 from the field in the first half. The 5-foot-10 junior shot 4-for-14 from the field for the game, though four of those misses came during a scoreless fourth quarter after she injured her right ankle. She shot 6-for-6 at the charity stripe.
Haylie Perez added nine points.
Coming off a 53-52 win at 'Iolani, Maryknoll (7-4 overall) dropped to 1-1 in ILH play.
Nihoa Dunn led Kamehameha (12-2), now 2-0 in the ILH, with 15 points, 11 rebounds and two assists.
"Rylee did a great job," Dunn said. "We've been practicing it. Faceguarding the girls on our team and playing the way we would in the game."
Kamehameha's relentless man-to-man defense was physical, quick and determined.
"This game was crazy. Both teams in the end made a really good game of it. We finally started hitting some outside shots. They weren't hitting," Straight said.
Kamehameha shot 0-for-13 from the 3-point arc in the first half against Maryknoll's 2-3 matchup zone. At guard, Herrington's length and hustle were big factors.
"They played super well. Their zone gave us a hard time, more so with tipped passes. They put their longer players at the top," Straight said. "But our girls stepped up and hit some shots at the end."
Kamehameha was 1-for-18 from the arc entering the final quarter, but shot 5-for-9 there in the final eight minutes. Pono Nakamura splashed two clutch 3s and Rylee Paranada hit another to bring the Warriors back from six points down for the lead. Makenzie Alapai connected on a 3, and Cabuyadao-Caswell's corner 3 on a touch pass from center Dunn, who was tripled-teamed on the block, opened the Warriors' lead to 43-39 with 27 seconds left.
Herrington then launched and swished a 40-foot trey over two defenders, and Maryknoll called time out with 14.5 seconds left, trailing 43-42. Paranada was fouled and went to the foul line, missing the first shot and making the second for a 44-42 lead with 8.5 seconds to go.
Herrington had the ball for Maryknoll's final possession, but a wall of Warriors greeted her just past halfcourt, and with Cabuyadao-Caswell contesting the shot, this 40-footer fell wide and short at the buzzer.
Paranada finished with eight points and Alapai chipped in seven points and three steals.
"We just need to understand defensive responsibilities. When that ball is being swung around, you cannot position yourself where you have to cover that much space," Maryknoll coach Chico Furtado said.
The Spartans adapted and used Perez, who is 5-4, as a fairly effective high-post defender on the 6-1 Dunn.
"We had the game plan of who's supposed to help when Nihoa catches the ball, and we didn't do it," Furtado said.
Herrington had a giant bag of ice taped to her ankle after the game. She rated the pain level a 7 out of 10.
"It's the same ankle I hurt last year," she said.
The tip-off was delayed by 21 minutes due to technical issues with the shot clock. A temporary shot clock was set up on the floor near the Manoa-side corner. The problem was fixed during halftime.
Kamehameha will host 'Iolani at 6 p.m. Friday in their first matchup since last season's state-championship game. Maryknoll will host the Sellitto Invitational, which begins Thursday.