KANE'OHE — The high school with the nation's most famous football program showed last night it also has a pretty good boys basketball team, as De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) ran past defending Hawai'i state champion Punahou, 47-31, in the semifinals of the Saint Francis Merv Lopes Hoops Classic III.

A crowd of about 550 at King Armory watched De La Salle — best-known for its football program's national record-setting win streak from 1991 to 2004 — improve to 8-1 on the season.

The Spartans, who return four starters from a team that went 28-4 and reached the Northern California semifinals last season, were No. 6 in USA Today's Super 25 rankings released Dec. 16, but lost to Oakland Tech three days later. They will face Campbell (North Hollywood, Calif.) in tonight's championship game at 7.

Last night's game was tied 13-13 midway through the second period before De La Salle ended the half with an 11-4 run. The Spartans then opened the second half with a 3-pointer and the Buffanblu — with starters Manti Te'o and Robby Toma away at practice for a Mainland football all-star game plus forward Taylor Crabb at a Mainland Junior National volleyball tournament — could get no closer than eight points the rest of the way.

"They're a good team, good athletes and very well-coached," De La Salle coach Frank Allocco said of Punahou. "I was impressed with them, and I knew we had to be prepared and play well to beat them, which we did."

Allocco said the Spartans paid special attention in the second half to Buffanblu guard Dalton Hilliard and forward Kimo Makaula, who each scored seven points in the first two periods. Hilliard was shut out in the second half, and Makaula scored only one point.

"They're athletic and competitive," Allocco said. "At halftime, we said we better contain them, and in the second half we did pretty well slowing them down."

Over half of the Punahou team were members of the Buffanblu football squad which won the state championship Dec. 5. Until the following Monday, the basketball team was practicing with only six players, and Te'o, Toma and Makaula spent another week with a Hawai'i all-star football team that played a team of Mainland all-stars Dec. 12.

"It was pretty hard to be creative just playing three-on-three," said Punahou coach Dan Hale. "We've had very few practices with 10 players. I was really happy with the way we played tonight against a very good, disciplined team. If we missed a quick shot or broke down even for a second, they made us pay."

Hilliard said the Buffanblu are slowly making progress.

"It's a different team and it'll take a while for everybody to get used to each other," said Hilliard, a fourth-year letterman. "We're getting there ..."

Beau Levesque led the Spartans with 17 points and Jefferson Powers added 11.

CAMPBELL HALL 54, KAHUKU 36

Bryce Brady scored 20 points and Austin Mcbroom added 17 as the Vikings, from North Hollywood, Calif., raced past the Red Raiders in semifinal action.

Kahuku led 10-7 late in the first period, but Campbell Hall went on a 16-0 run that extended until under a minute remained in the first half.

The Red Raiders closed it to 24-14 on Noa Akina's free throw with two seconds remaining, but could get no closer in the second half.

J'ray Galeai led Kahuku with 13 points.