Junior post Jamie Smith scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and blocked five shots last night to help 'Iolani hold off Kamehameha, 53-46, for its first Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls basketball championship since 1996.

The Raiders, ranked No. 3 in The Advertiser's statewide Top 10 poll of coaches and media, finished 11-2 in the ILH and clinched an automatic state tournament berth. The No. 2-ranked Warriors fell to 10-3.

Last night's game, before a vocal crowd of about 700 at McCabe Gym, was a special playoff after both teams finished tied for first after the regular season.

Kamehameha will now enter the league's "second-place" tournament and will try to earn the ILH's other state tournament berth via that route. The Warriors overcame a big fourth-period deficit against 'Iolani to win last year's second-place tournament, also at McCabe Gym.

"I don't know when ('Iolani's last league title was), I just know it was a long time ago," Smith said. "It feels good. We knew the feeling (of losing to Kamehameha) last year, and we were not going to let it happen again."

Smith and senior wing Alana Matayoshi helped spark a 9-3 run to end the first half last night and give the Raiders a 30-21 lead at the break. They stretched it to 45-31 early in the fourth quarter before the Warriors staged a rally and closed to 45-39 with 3:36 remaining.

But Smith answered with a fast break layup 12 seconds later and 'Iolani went into an effective delay game to milk valuable time off the clock.

Kamehameha closed to 49-44 after Casey Lum's putback with 38 seconds left, but Smith swished four free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

Matayoshi finished with 12 points — all coming in the first three quarters — and guard Dayna Jandoc contributed eight points off the bench.

"Team-wise, this was one of the best games we've played all year," 'Iolani coach Glenn Takara said. "As a collective unit, everybody played well and did their job."

Kamehameha coach Clay Cockett agreed it wasn't just Smith who gave the Warriors problems.

"From the very beginning, we weren't doing what we supposed to (on defense), we were in the wrong coverage," Cockett said. "They have five or six girls who present hard matchups for us."

Kamehameha forward Ana Viena-Lota, who poured in a career-high 27 points in a victory over Punahou on Tuesday, scored a team-high 18 points last night but was held to two points in the second and third periods.

"We knew she would get points, but we told the girls we gotta always know where (Viena-Lota) is and make her work for her points," Takara said. "It took extra effort."

Alexis Furtado added 16 points, including five 3-pointers, for Kamehameha.

KAMEHAMEHA (10-3) 10 11 6 19 — 46

'IOLANI (11-2) 14 16 10 13 — 53

KAMEHAMEHA — Alexis Furtado 16, Ana Viena-Lota 18, Pomaikai Kalakau 0, Shaleese Javillo 1, Lindsey Wong 2, Tiana Abbey 0, Rhani Kaneaiakala 2, Alex Akana 0, Kylle Roy 1, Casey Lum 6. Totals 15 11-16 46.

'IOLANI — Chelsea Unemori 3, Tami Konishi 0, Kylie Ahlo 0, Alana Matayoshi 12, Chanel Hirata 3, Dayna Jandoc 8, Jamie Smith 27, Raechele Takara 0, Sarah Turgeon 0. Totals 15 20-26 53. 3-point goals: Kamehameha 5 (Furtado 5); 'Iolani 3 (Unemori, Hirata, Jandoc).

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.