Kahuku claws by Southwind, 55-51, for third place

Kahuku's Daniel Fotu tries to get to the rim against Southwind. Spencer Lee | Special to SL

Jessiya Villa sank two free throws with 5.3 seconds left to lift Kahuku past Southwind (Memphis, Tenn.), 55-51, to capture third place in the Iolani Classic on Wednesday night.

The third-place finish is the highest finish by a Hawaii team since Iolani did it in 2006. Daniel Fotu led the Red Raiders with 16 points, Villa scored 15 points and shot 8-for-8 from the free throw line, and Taimoana Wright added 10 points.

Southwind received the ball near the sideline after forcing a turnover and dribbled time off the clock and called timeout at the 15.1 second mark. Markylan Freeman's 3-pointer did not fall and Villa grabbed the rebound and was fouled immediately. He sank both foul shots to seal the game.

The Jaguars traded buckets in the second quarter as Freeman drilled four 3's, but could not make a field goal in the second half to finish with 17 points.

The Red Raiders held a 31-28 lead at halftime.

Kahuku jumped out to a 6-0 run to start the third quarter and led by as much as 11, 39-28. Southwind clawed back to go on a 9-0 run to bring it within two, after buckets by Carlos Marshall.

Marshall scored 19 of his game-high 28 points in the second half and was the source of offense as Freeman and his teammates went cold from the field.

Kahuku started pulling away to start the fourth with a seven point lead, but a putback by Kameron Jones and baskets by Marshall brought it within three, 52-49. The Jaguars turned up the pressure down the stretch to force turnovers to give themselves a chance to win the game.