Overcoming another phenomenal performance by Honoka'a senior point guard Keisha Kanekoa, Punahou reached its third straight Hawaiian Airlines/Hawai'i High School Athletic Association Girls Basketball Championship game last night by holding off the Dragons, 47-41, in semifinal action at the Stan Sheriff Center.

The two-time defending champion Buffanblu improved to 12-5 in the regular and postseason and will face Big Island Interscholastic Federation champ and No. 2 seed Kona-waena (16-0), The Advertiser's top-ranked team, in tonight's final at 8.

The game will be televised live statewide on OC-16.

Kanekoa, a 5-foot-6, two-time Advertiser All-State first-team selection who has signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Hawai'i next season, scored 32 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, made four steals, dished out one assist and had one block last night.

In Wednesday's quarterfinal victory over O'ahu Interscholastic Association champ and No. 1 seed Roosevelt, Kanekoa had 31 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals.

"She is unreal," Punahou coach Mike Taylor said. "She is so calm with the ball, she just waits for you to make a mistake and then she makes you pay. I can't wait to watch her play here next year."

At one point last night, Kanekoa scored 24 of Honoka'a's first 26 points. The Dragons went 16 minutes, 54 seconds between the second and fourth periods without any other player scoring, and Jessika Lorenzo's 3-pointer with 6:33 remaining in the game was their first field goal by someone other than Kanekoa.

She single-handedly kept Honoka'a in the game, drawing the Dragons to within a point at 26-25 with a short banker with 4:33 left in the third quarter.

"She's an awesome player, probably the toughest I've ever had to guard," said Punahou senior Chelsea Deptula, who scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds.

But Kanekoa ultimately could not beat the Buffanblu by herself.

After Jamaika Lorenzo's two free throws cut Punahou's lead to 36-34 with 5:01 remaining, the Buffanblu went on a 7-2 run to open up a 43-36 lead with one minute left. Kaylene Kanekoa cut it to 43-38 with two free throws 15 seconds later, but Janelle Nomura made four straight free throws to push the lead to 47-38 with 17.9 seconds remaining.

But Kanekoa was not finished. With 10.5 ticks left, she made a free throw and then grabbed her own rebound after the second attempt and made the putback.

"She's a fighter, all the way to the end," Honoka'a coach Shawna Lau Kong said. "The rest of our team didn't quit, either. I'm very proud of them."

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.