After leading most of the first half and trailing by just two at halftime, coach Alan Matsui felt his team was playing like it didn't belong in the game.

"We needed to work harder," Sacred Hearts senior point guard Raecha-Ann Kauahikaua said of her coach's halftime talk. "He was trying to push us. It wasn't criticism. He was trying to get in our heads and tell us that we belong here and we need to show other people that we're competitive."

The Lancers (1-2) responded with a big second half and Kauahikaua finished with 15 points to help visiting Sacred Hearts upset then-No. 5 'Iolani, 63-57, in an Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls basketball game Saturday.

Kauahikaua, one of three captains, was steady on both ends of the floor in the win.

"Any time someone presses, she takes it upon herself to lead the team," Matsui said. "She sets everybody up, she calls the plays.

"Defensively, she also takes their best player. Although her points might not always show it, she's the one that takes the burden of support upon herself."

Sacred Hearts attacked the basket in the third quarter, outscoring 'Iolani 19-6 to take over the game. With Kauahikaua handling the ball, she drove into the lane, drew defenders and passed the ball to teammates in the post or at the wings. Playing with the confidence their coach had asked of them, the Lancers turned a 27-25 halftime deficit into a 44-33 lead after the third. Even the reserves got in during the closing minutes.

Lindsey Bareng led the Lancers with 17 points, Rayna Munos had 14 and Kuhina Luis added 10.

"She finds a way of balancing us out so well," Matsui said of Kauahikaua. "It's hard to defend us if we can stay in that mode."

The Lancers converted 32 of 55 free-throw attempts. The second-half rally was a big turnaround from the first half.

"There was nothing wrong with what we were doing, but we were acting like we had no business in the game, but we're in the game," Matsui said. "We just had to do what we do and we'd do fine."

Defensively, the Lancers closed out the Raiders.

"Coach Alan was telling us to stop the ball and play better defense because they're shooting a lot of 3s, so we had to play uptight defense," Kauahikaua said.

The win over 'Iolani (2-1) was the first during Kauahikaua's four years with the varsity team. 'Iolani was coming off a win over then-No. 1 Punahou earlier in the week.

"It was a great feeling knowing we can beat them," Kauahikaua said. "They beat Punahou and knowing we can beat them ... everyone is beatable, everyone is really good.

"If we work really hard, we can do it."

Reach Stanley Lee at sktlee@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2451.

ILH DIVISION II BOYS

Punahou 66, Lanakila Baptist 24: Dylan Hudson scored 10 points to lead the host Buffanblu over the Warriors.

Chase Hazelwood led Lanakila Baptist with six points.

LANAKILA BAPTIST (1-3) 9 4 3 8 — 24

PUNAHOU (4-0) 14 24 23 5 — 66

LANAKILA BAPTIST — Jordan Soriano 0, Zach Ramos 0, Matt Kakilala 0, Micah Miranda 0, Josh Pananganan 0, Chase Hazelwood 6, Marcus Takahashi 2, Keawe Ochman 4, Armando Cayabyab 4, Glenn Yri 2, Christian Oasay 2, Cole Deyoung 4. Totals 10 4-16 24.

PUNAHOU — Kevin Mukai 6, Stephen Alterado 2, Matthew Yim 2, Galen Arakawa 3, James Duncan 2, Forrest Kim 5, Devon Wong 0, Matthew Blanco 2, Dylan Hudson 10, Noah Hammond 4, James Portwood 5, Andrew Kuriyama 2, Nicholas Kido 7, Jacob Brovelli 3, Thurston Kino 7, Anthony Crabb 6. Totals 27 6-11 66.

3-point goals: Lanakila Baptist none. Punahou 6 (Mukai 2, Hudson 2, Arakawa 1, Portwood 1).

Reported by Scott Metcalf

ILH DIVISION II GIRLS

Punahou 40, La Pietra 22: Jessica Lin scored nine points as the Buffanblu (2-4) beat the host Lady Panthers (0-4).

Shannon Waltz led La Pietra with nine points.

Reported by La Pietra Athletics