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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, May 16, 2001

'Aiea tops Roosevelt to reach OIA final

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Fire turned into ice for the Roosevelt High School girls basketball team last night, allowing unbeaten 'Aiea to rally past the Rough Riders, 55-44, in an O'ahu Interscholastic Association semifinal game at 'Aiea.

Hot shooting helped underdog Roosevelt take a 17-9 lead after one quarter and a 26-22 edge at the half, but the Rough Riders went cold in the second half as Na Ali'i (11-0) turned to their powerful inside game and made their run.

Aritta Lane scored a game-high 29 points and fellow post player Keesha Aldridge added 11 points for 'Aiea, which plays Kalaheo for the championship at 8 tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Roosevelt (8-4) will play Leilehua (9-2) for third place and the OIA's final state tournament berth at 6 p.m.

"We came out with a lot of energy and showed we can play with anyone," Rough Riders coach Bobby Keanini said. "Hopefully, we can do it again (tonight)."

Roosevelt stunned the crowd of about 700 with torrid shooting in the first half. The Rough Riders made 10 of 19 field goals, including 4-of-7 from 3-point range, and built a 24-15 lead midway through the second quarter.

"Even the girls who normally don't score much for them were hitting shots," Na Ali'i coach Fran Villarmia-Kahawai said. "They had nothing to lose, and they came out with that attitude."

But 'Aiea, led by the 5-foot-11 Lane and 6-foot-1 Aldridge, outscored undersized Roosevelt 7-2 in the final four minutes of the quarter to cut the deficit to four at halftime.

Na Ali'i began the third quarter with a 12-0 run, and Kylee Nakamura's 3-pointer gave 'Aiea a 34-26 lead with 2:32 left. The Rough Riders did not score until Ashley Dutro's 3-pointer with 1:38 left. Lehua Lembeck drained another 3-pointer 20 seconds later to help Roosevelt close to 36-32, but Aldridge scored on a putback at the buzzer to give Na Ali'i a 38-32 lead going into the fourth quarter.

"We changed up our defense, and they started missing," Villarmia-Kahawai said. "If they hit a few of those shots, it would have been a lot more interesting."

Aldridge scored nine points in the third quarter and Lane had 10 in the fourth. The Rough Riders never trailed by less than six points in the final seven minutes. A 3-pointer by Jodi Nakashima got them to 48-41 with 1:45 left, but Lane and Nakamura sank 5-of-6 free throws down the stretch to seal the win.

"I was kinda shocked in the beginning, but I knew our defense could pull it off," Lane said. "When you're down, it makes you give 100 percent more."

Nakashima, a 5-8 guard who has signed with Boise State, was blanketed by 5-1 1/2 junior Jasmine Dias all game and finished with 10 points. Nakashima was held scoreless in the second and third quarters, when 'Aiea outscored Roosevelt 29-15.

Dias' strategy was simple:

"Don't let her get the ball," she said.

Roosevelt (9-4) 17 9 6 11 44
'Aiea (11-0) 9 13 16 17 55

Roosevelt—Ashley Dutro 9, Yayoi Nishitani , Kahea Rodrigues 4, Lehua Lembeck 5, Burgandi Borges 8, Megan Fong 6, Emily Okamura 0, Jodi Nakashima 10, Shannon Yoshiyama 0, Cheri Kahooilihala 2.

'Aiea—Jasmine Dias 4, Karina Koda 0, Joelle Sugai 0, Tiffany Seiki 0, Kylee Nakamura 6, Noelani Colburn 3, Rubi Carrillo 2, Aritta Lane 29, Minuette Kauiwailani 0, Keesha Aldridge 11.

3-point goals— 'Aiea 1 (Nakamura). Roosevelt 6 (Fong 2, Dutro, Lembeck, Borges, Nakashima).