Punahou pushed another nationally ranked girls basketball team to the limit last night, but again fell just short as Westlake (Atlanta) prevailed, 51-48, in the fifth-place game of the 'Iolani Prep Classic.

Janelle Nomura scored on a driving layup and free throw with 49 seconds remaining to close it to 51-48, and the Buffanblu gained possession with 20 seconds left after the Lions missed the front end of a one-and-one.

But a 3-point attempt by Nomura from the right wing glanced off the rim, and two more attempts after offensive rebounds fell short.

Westlake, ranked No. 4 by ESPN Rise, reached the Georgia 4A (large schools) semifinals last season and returns all five starters from a team that went 27-5. But the Lions were upset by Farrington, 54-53, in Thursday's Classic first round, the same night Punahou lost to No. 1-ranked (USA Today) Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep (San Francisco), 44-43.

Westlake coach Hilda Hankerson said the Buffanblu would be competitive in Atlanta.

"They have great fundamentals as a team, they all can dribble the ball," Hankerson said. "That's unusual, you don't see that quality too often. They all understand how to handle the ball and play defense."

Nomura, a 5-foot-3 senior, led all scorers with 27 points, including 16 of 17 free throws.

"She's very exceptional, a fine point guard," Hankerson said. "We have a lot of respect for her."

The Lions jumped to a 12-2 lead in the first four minutes as Punahou packed in its defense against Westlake's tall (6-4, 6-2, 6-2) front line.

The Lions led 51-41 with 3:25 left in the game, but Nomura converted on a three-point play with 2:39 remaining, and hit a free throw with 1:55 left to cut it to 51-45. She drove in for another layup and free throw to make it 51-48 with 49 seconds remaining.

"We always think we have a chance," said Nomura, who has signed a national letter of intent to play for Cal State Northridge next season. "But we kept going up, and then down, and that killed us."

Georgia-bound forward Tamika Willis led the Lions with 23 points.

LONG BEACH POLY 51, SACRED HEART (CA.) 36

USC-bound center Monique Oliver scored 16 points and Brittany Wilson added 10 to lead Long Beach (Calif.) Poly — ranked No. 2 by USA Today — over No. 1-ranked Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep (San Francisco) in the championship game.

Long Beach Poly built a 24-14 lead early in the second period, but the Fightin' Irish tied it at 25-25 on two free throws by Kamilah Jackson 65 seconds into the third.

But a jumper by Thaddesia Southall started the Jackrabbits on an 11-0 run.

Cal-Berkeley-bound guard Tierra Rogers and Ki-shawna Moore each had 11 points to lead the Fightin' Irish.

OREGON CITY 41, FARRINGTON 22

The defending Oregon state runner-up Pioneers opened the second half with a 15-0 run to break open a close game and run past the Governors in the third-place game.

Taylor Ward scored eight points for Oregon City, and Farington's Natalie Mata scored seven.

KONAWAENA 59, 'IOLANI 48

Kara Hanato-Smith scored 13 points, Dawnyelle Awa had 12 and Lia Galdeira added 11 as the Wildcats held off the defending state runner-up Raiders in the seventh-place game.

Tami Konishi had 17 points and Lori Yamashita added 14 for 'Iolani.

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