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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Thursday, May 19, 2005

Kahuku, Konawaena to meet in semifinals

 •  Honoka'a sinks Lahainaluna, 53-43
 •  Punahou pummels Roosevelt
 •  Division II: St. Francis hopes to challenge for title
 •  Red Raiders rally past Iolani for 47-32 victory

By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer

Konawaena took its first step toward retaining its HHSAA/Hawaiian Airlines Girls Basketball State Championship last night with high-pressure defense and unselfishness on offense.

Kahuku's Camilla Ah-Hoy rises above Iolani defenders Hennasea-Sue Tokumura, left, and Marci Kang to put up a first-quarter shot.

Photos by Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser


Konawaena's Jazzmin Awa-Williams grabs one of her team-high eight rebounds away from Kalaheo's Kathleen Hicks.
Konawaena made 19 field goals, 14 off assists, and forced 28 turnovers in a 46-34 victory over Kalaheo in a quarterfinal game at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Haunani Liftee scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half, and Jessica Hanato had nine points and six steals to lead Konawaena, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion.

Konawaena coach Bobbie Awa wasn't expecting Kalaheo, the O'ahu Interscholastic Association fifth-place team, to match her team's high-tempo style, but the second-seeded Wildcats handled it well.

"I didn't think Kalaheo was going to run with us," she said. "We scored and they're running it right back down our throat and we weren't ready for that."

The Mustangs (14-3) took a 23-19 lead one minute into the second half on a 3-pointer by Shanadee Canon, but Konawaena (14-0) went on a 13-1 run to take a 32-24 lead into the fourth quarter. During the run, Liftee hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and a layup off a steal on the ensuing possession.

"Shanadee hit the 3 and we're up 23-19 and they battled back," Kalaheo coach Chico Furtado said. "They got that extra shot of adrenaline, their defensive pressure kicked up and we had no answer for it."

The Mustangs got within 33-29 with 5:07 remaining, but Konawaena went on a 9-0 run to put the game out of reach.

"We got some turnovers, but we also gave up some backside layups," Furtado said. "That's the part about pressure, you'll get some and you'll give up some."

Konawaena will play No. 3 seed Kahuku in the semifinals today at 6 p.m., in a rematch of last year's title game.

"Getting to the semifinals is huge for us," Hanato said. "Just getting the first game out of the way and winning gives us momentum going into the semifinal game."

Kalaheo's Taylor Smith scored 14 points in the first half, but only two in the second.

"Part of her not being involved was their defense pushed us out of what we were trying to do," Furtado said. "We weren't very disciplined offensively."

Despite being the defending champion, Awa doesn't see her team as having an edge in experience in the tournament.

"This is our fourth straight year here (in the tournament), but we have four girls who have state tournament experience," she said.

"I like to feel comfortable with the leaders we have out there on the floor. I think with them talking to the rest of the team will help, but I want them to come out like any other game."

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8041.

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Red Raiders rally past Iolani for 47-32 victory

 •  Defending champ Wildcats roll over Kalaheo, 46-34

Kahuku overcame a first-half deficit and overpowered youthful Iolani, 47-32, last night in HHSAA/Hawaiian Airlines Girls Basketball State Championship quarterfinal action.

The O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion and No. 3 seed Red Raiders (15-1) will face No. 2 seed Konawaena (14-0) at 6 tonight in the semifinals at the University of Hawai'i's Stan Sheriff Center.

Interscholastic League of Honolulu runner-up Iolani, a team with no seniors, led 21-20 after a tight first half. Kahuku took a 16-10 lead on Camilla Ah Hoy's 3-pointer with 26 seconds remaining in the first period, but the Raiders (10-3) tied it after Jamie Smith's free throws, Hennasea-Sue Tokumura's layup and another layup by Smith midway through the second quarter.

Artevia Wily put the Red Raiders up, 18-16, on a short jumper, but Iolani answered with Keilyn Fujioka's layup. Wily scored on another layup with two minutes left, but the Raiders again answered with two free throws by Fujioka with 1:26 remaining.

Kahuku took the second-half lead on Ah Hoy's two free throws, then stretched it 35-24 spurred by Kamaile Hughes' seven points and baskets by Ane Vea, Wily and LeeAnn Mapu. Iolani cut it to 35-28 on Smith's free throws and a jumper by Kaz Masutani, but the Red Raiders went on a 10-0 run over the next five minutes to put the game away.

Iolani struggled with its shooting, making just 12 of 44 shots (27.3 percent), including only 1 of 17 from 3-point range. Tokumura, one of the Raiders' top scorers all season, finished with just two points on 1-for-13 shooting and was 0 for 6 on 3-point attempts.

— Advertiser Staff

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