Konawaena is used to Jazzmin Awa-Williams coming through in big games.

Something the Wildcats aren't used to is applying full-court pressure.

As it turned out, Konawaena relied on the expected and unexpected last night to beat 'Iolani, 50-41, and advance to the final of the Hawaiian Airlines/HHSAA Girls Basketball Division I State Championship.

Awa-Williams, a 5-foot-9 senior guard/forward, scored 27 points, including 10 of 12 free-throw attempts over the final 1:48 to lift Konawaena to its third finals appearance in four years.

"It's great. It feels so great," said Awa-Williams, a two-time Advertiser All-State player. "The last time I was there was my sophomore year, but we lost in double overtime. I like to remember my freshman year better when we won. I wanted to get back there and win it my senior year."

Konawaena, the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion and ranked No. 1 in The Advertiser state poll, plays Punahou in the final tonight at 8.

The second-seeded Wildcats turned the tide by using a full-court man defense late in the third period when they were down, 31-25. They stuck with it the rest of the game.

Kara Hanato-Smith hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 50 seconds remaining in the third and Awa-Williams made a layup 15 seconds later off a steal.

"We normally don't press, but it was something we had to do because we were down," Konawaena coach Bobbie Awa said.

The pressure was all the more surprising to Awa-Williams because she, Mana Hopkins and Marissa Minor — all post players — were playing with four fouls in the fourth.

"We were a little surprised especially with three of us in foul trouble, but we picked it up and they kind of folded a little under the pressure," Awa-Williams said.

'Iolani, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion ranked second in The Advertiser poll, committed seven of its 16 turnovers in the fourth.

"They just started to come out harder and we just didn't handle it well," 'Iolani coach Glenn Takara said.

Konawaena (16-0) took its first lead at 32-31 on a lay-in by Awa-Williams with 5:32 remaining.

"It was like they cannot handle as much pressure so let's put a little bit more pressure on them," Awa said. "They did an excellent job. They came in looking for traps and 'Iolani got a little rattled and we got to the free-throw line and made some free throws."

The game was tied at 35 with 3:51 remaining, but the Wildcats hit 13 of 16 free-throw attempts the rest of the way. They only made two field goals — one each by Awa-Williams and Hanato-Smith — in the fourth period.

Meanwhile, third-seeded 'Iolani (12-3) managed only three field goals — all by Jamie Smith — over the final four minutes.

Smith, a 6-foot junior center, scored 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for 'Iolani. She was 10 of 14 from the field and 8 of 11 from the line.

"All the girls that played, played their hearts out. We wish it could have ended another way, but it didn't," Takara said.

Awa-Williams picked up her third foul with 4:47 left before halftime and didn't return until the second half. When she left the game was tied at 17. 'Iolani led 27-21 at halftime.

She picked up her fourth foul 13 seconds into the fourth, but stayed in and played smart.

"I had to play back. I had one of the guards," Awa-Williams said. "I didn't guard Jamie at all because I knew I would get in foul trouble because she pounds it inside."

Awa-Williams finished 6 of 10 from the field and 14 of 18 from the line. She scored 13 points in the fourth despite feeling nervous.

"It gets the blood pumping; that's for us," she said. "My stomach was feeling queasy in the fourth quarter but we pulled it off.

"My mom tells me the parents feel more nervous than us, but I don't think so."

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.