Seniors help lift Mustangs over Bulldogs, 53-51
By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer
There's something about the state tournament that brings out the best in some teams.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Kaimuki, the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's fourth-place team, last night faced an undefeated Kalaheo team that pounded it 83-42 on Feb. 2.
Kaimuki's Daniel Tautofi, left, heads to the bucket while defended by Kalaheo's Sam Wilhoite.
This time things were different as Kalaheo (15-0) worked to the very end to beat Kaimuki, 53-51, in a semifinal game of the Hawaiian Airlines Boys State Basketball Championship Tournament at the Blaisdell Arena.
Ikaika Alama-Francis scored 21 points and DC Daniels added 20 for Kalaheo, the OIA champion and No. 2 seed for the tournament.
The Mustangs will defend their state title tonight against Iolani in a rematch of last year's final. The Raiders beat Mililani, 62-51, in last night's other semifinal.
Alama-Francis and Daniels, both seniors, scored 20 of the Mustangs' 23 points in the second half.
"I wanted the ball and DC wanted the ball," Alama-Francis said. "Down the stretch we hit some big shots. I'm glad we came out with the victory. I'm exhausted."
Alama-Francis put Kalaheo up 52-50 on a turnaround jumper from the left baseline with 32 seconds remaining.
The Bulldogs turned it over on their next possession and Alama-Francis was fouled with 6.8 seconds remaining.
He hit the first free throw, but missed the second. On the rebound, Daniels fouled Daniel Tautofi with 5.9 seconds left.
Tautofi hit the first free throw to make it 53-51 and missed the second. Kaimuki got the rebound, but James Davis and Tautofi missed shots as time expired.
"Originally we were going to go for that, but I felt with 5.9 seconds that there would be enough time to actually make it and foul," Kaimuki coach Stephen Lee said when asked if he instructed Tautofi to make the first free throw and intentionally miss the second.
Kalaheo took a comfortable 19-6 lead 5:30 into the game after Justin Pedrina hit a 3-pointer.
But Kaimuki abandoned its 2-3 zone in favor of a man-to-man defense, and went on a 12-0 run to get within 19-18 with 5:10 remaining in the first half.
Kaimuki (11-5) started the second half in a 2-3 zone trap and took its first lead of the game at 34-32 on a 23-footer from the top of the key by Jimmy Miyasaka with 2:52 left in the third quarter.
"We need to take care of the ball better," Kalaheo coach Pete Smith said. "We had too many turnovers and we didn't play smart on the offensive end."
There were five ties and three lead changes over the final 11 minutes of the game.
The loss ended a great state tournament run for Kaimuki, which beat Punahou on Wednesday and No. 3 seed Lahainaluna on Thursday.
"There's something about this team, they always come back and play hard," Lee said.
