Kahuku High School senior Okesene "Junior" Ale started out hot last night and never cooled off, finishing with a career-high 31 points to lead the Red Raiders to a 62-53 victory over Kaimuki.

Kahuku, ranked No. 3 in The Advertiser's statewide Top 10 poll of coaches and media, stayed unbeaten at 8-0 in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's Eastern Division. The 10th-ranked Bulldogs fell to 6-2.

Ale, a 6-foot-2 guard, scored 11 points in the first quarter — including three 3-pointers in a row — to help the Red Raiders jump out to a 19-12 lead. But Kaimuki rallied in the second period and took a 32-28 lead into intermission.

"Mainly we talked about defense at halftime," Ale said. "Kaimuki loves to penetrate and dish, and so we needed to help out on defense and make sure we got out there."

Ale scored eight points in the third quarter to help Kahuku take the lead back at 45-41 entering the fourth. And after the Bulldogs went up briefly, 47-46, early in the final period, Ale sliced through the lane for a layup to give the Red Raiders the lead for good.

Kaimuki closed to 51-49 on Jarrett Shiu's short jumper with 3:20 remaining, but Kahuku responded with an 11-4 run to end the game.

"Kaimuki is a great team, and they're going to shock a lot of people," said Ale, who finished with five 3-pointers and sank 9 of 13 free throw attempts. "They almost shocked us. But in the timeout with three minutes left, our coach (Nathan James) said this is where big-time ballers step up, and that's what we did, especially on defense."

Sophomore guard Shiloah Te'o added 11 points for the Red Raiders. Shiu, who had three 3-pointers in the first quarter, led the Bulldogs with 11 points.

KAHUKU (8-0) 21 7 17 17 — 62

KAIMUKI (6-2) 16 16 9 12 — 53

KAHUKU—Junior Ale 31, Kevin Unga 6, Manti Te'o 5, Pele Soliai 0, Devin Unga 9, Shiloah Te'o 11, Charles Bell 0. Totals 19 19-32 62.

KAIMUKI—Jarrett Shiu 11, Shane Dela Calzada 9, Shadrack Ramos-Diaz 3, Keone Reyes 9, Daniel Colon 8, Brandon Madamba 0, Beau Albrechtson 9, Thomas Pyo 4, Alika Higa 0, Craig Cabudol 0. Totals 15 20-24 53.

3-point goals: Kahuku 5 (Ale 5); Kaimuki 3 (Shiu 3).

MOANALUA 71, CASTLE 48

Wayne West hit five 3-pointers en route to 26 points, Bao Jun Lei added 19 and Stevie Austin 11 to power the visiting Na Menehune.

Scott Keiter-Charles scored 13 points to lead Castle.

MOANALUA (7-1) 14 22 14 21—71

CASTLE (3-5) 18 9 9 12—48

MOANALUA—Bao Jun Lei 19, Stephen Kina 2, Jay Yoshizawa 9, Paul Wasada 0, Eric Garcia 0, Stevie Austin 11, Casey Shuler 2, Stanford Leti 0, Chris Holt 2, Wayne West 26, Jehan Brown 0, Tyler Thorton 0. Totals 23 15-26 71.

CASTLE—Eric Tom 0, Matt Kodama 2, Lihikai Domingo 7, Tyler Kanemori 0, Scott Keiter-Charles 13, Micah Calore 8, Bryce Kalauoka'aea 5, Barron Meyer 4, Alika Kalopodes 2, Kyle Kia 7. Totals 15 16-24 48. 3-point goals—Moanalua 10 (West 5, Austin 3, Lei 2). Castle 2 (Kalauoka'aea, Keiter-Charles). JV—Castle 48, Moanalua 38

Reported by Rocky Fraticelli

KALAHEO 46, MCKINLEY 34

Kahua Hollinger scored 15 points and Koa Siliga added 11 to lead the host Mustangs over the Tigers.

MCKINLEY (6-2) 7 9 7 11—34

KALAHEO (5-2) 8 13 10 15—46

MCKINLEY—Jelani Thabiti 0, Bryce Ishikawa 0, Dat Vo 8, Earvin Sione 7, Nainoa Lessary 9, Jefferson Pou 3, Oliver Diguc 7, Jonathan Lee 0. Totals 13 3-7 34.

KALAHEO—Elias David 3, Chris Tumaneng 3, Koa Siliga 11, Donte Price 0, Mana Guerreiro 2, Kahua Hollinger 15, Jacob Anderson 0, Marvin Judd 2, Cheynne Lishman 6, Jeff Whitworth 0, Chase Moses 0, Cliffton Pires 0 Deaux Burns 0, Tyler Caswell 4. Totals 17 7-12 46. 3-point goals—McKinley 5 (Vo 2, Sione 1, Pou 1, Lessary 1). Kalaheo 5 (Lishman 2, Hollinger 2, Siliga 1). JV—Kalaheo 72, McKinley 45

Reported by Lindsey Nakashima

KAISER 66, KAILUA 58

Andrew Wingert hit five treys and scored 26 points, Kalani Calizar added 15 points, Rayce Chun-Ming 11, and the visiting Cougars made 20-of-27 free throws to defeat the Surfriders.

Zack Akamine scored 16 points to lead Kailua.

KAISER (3-6) 16 14 21 15—66

KAILUA (4-6) 14 6 19 19—58

KAISER—Scott Uehara 5, Kalani Calizar 15, Kenneth Kamauoha 0, Andrew Wingert 26, Keoki Leong 0, Andy Uehara 0, Adam Aila 6, Shane Kamakea 0, Jake Esteban 0, Dustin Chang 3, Rayce Chun-Ming 11. Totals 20 20-27 66.

KAILUA—Gerald Ho 3, Ryan Rexroat 0, Tim Maghinay 7, Zack Akamine 16, Darren Sugimoto 6, Sammy Trueman 0, Makana Atisanoe 2, Billy Oden 6, Nathan Botts 6, Ryan Naluai 9, Dustin Naki 3. Totals 20 13-21 58. 3-point goals—Kaiser 6 (Wingert 5, Chang 1). Kailua 5 (Akamine 2, Ho 1, Maghinay 1, Naki 1). JV—Kailua 47, Kaiser 34

Reported by Amanda Harrison

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.