Konawaena Cherilyn Molina scored a game-high 16 points in a win over Punahou. Peter Caldwell | SL

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02111618_1602_Kona-Pun_070.jpg - Peter Caldwell | SL

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SALT LAKE – The Molina sisters combined for 35 points and top-ranked and defending champion Konawaena dismantled No. 4 Punahou, 51-27, Wednesday night in a quarterfinal of the OC16 Division I girls' state basketball tournament at Moanalua gym.

The Wildcats (24-1) will play unseeded Kaiser (13-8) in a semifinal, 5 p.m. Thursday at Moanalua.  Konawaena is advancing to its seventh semifinals in the last eight years. The two met in Kaiser's preseason tournament in November with Konawaena prevailing, 65-28.

Punahou (23-7), state champions as recently as 2014, will play Leilehua in a fifth-place semifinal 5 p.m. Thursday at Kalani.

Although their starters missed a combined four minutes, the Wildcats played the same lightning speed from start to finish. Celena Molina, who did not leave the floor, led with 16 points. Cherilyn Molina, who played 31 minutes, had 10 points and big sister Chanelle, the senior, had nine points, just missing a double-double with 11 rebounds to lead the team. She did her damage in 30 minutes.

"I think they have a goal and they play towards it," Konawaena coach Bobbie Awa said of her players' ability to play with a consistent high speed for 32 minutes, regardless of the how big the team's lead. "They know that if they're not out there playing hard, they'll get subbed out. Somebody will go out there and play hard for them, so they're pretty disciplined."

The quick Wildcats scored every which way, as 11 of their 18 field goals were assisted. Chanelle and Cherilyn led the team with four assists each.

The Buffanblu knew what they were getting in the Wildcats. They also met in Kaiser's tournament with Konawaena winning 68-40.

"They have a good motion offense," Punahou coach Liz Kam said. "They make a lot of right reads."

Konawaena used a modest 6-0 run in the second period to open a double-digit lead at 22-10, but a basket by Vae Malefau pulled the Buffanblu to within eight. But the Wildcats got the double-digit margin again on Celena Molina's 3-pointer with one second left in the half that gave them a 27-16 lead at the break.

The Wildcats maintained the double-digit lead at 36-22 after the third period. But the Buffanblu, desperate to get possessions, had to foul and Konawaena scored nine of its 15 fourth-quarter points at the free-throw line.

Kamaile Kandiah led the Buffanblu with nine points.

Kam, in her first year as Buffanblu coach after coming over from Mid-Pacific Institute, was pleased with the effort of her players.

"We have to finish this to the end," Kam said. "We have a few more games and we're going to finish."