Mounts, Steinhoff spurred teams' title runs
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
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Taylor Mounts' inside presence helped 'Iolani recapture the Interscholastic League of Honolulu boys basketball championship.
Kameron Steinhoff's all-around play helped lead Punahou to within three points of that title — a strong regular season that proved to be a springboard to the Buffanblu's first state crown since 1999.
For their efforts, Mounts and Steinhoff shared ILH Player of the Year honors after a recent vote of league coaches.
Mounts, a 6-foot-5 senior center, started the regular season with a 14-point, six-rebound, one-block performance against Punahou that included a putback at the buzzer for a 43-41 victory. He ended it with 14 points in the championship game against Punahou, including two free throws with two seconds remaining that sealed the 54-51 victory.
Mounts also had a 25-point, 11-rebound game vs. Kamehameha.
Steinhoff, a 6-5 senior forward, was an offensive force who could score from all angles and shoot from all ranges, as well as grab rebounds and block shots. He averaged 16.9 points per game in the regular season and had a game-high 26 points in the title game against 'Iolani.
And he did all that despite spending a week in the hospital after spleen removal surgery in late September.
Mounts and Steinhoff are joined on the ILH All-Star first team by four juniors — 'Iolani forward Pablo Warner, Mid-Pacific guard Marcus Holyfield, Punahou forward Manti Te'o and Maryknoll wing Richard Herring — and Saint Louis senior guard Cole Shidaki.
'Iolani's Mark Mugiishi was named Coach of the Year.
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.