An inopportune timeout proved to be a momentum stopper for host Moanalua in Academy of Pacific's 47-38 win in a semifinal of the Na Menehune Holiday Classic boys basketball tournament Wednesday night.

The Dolphins will play El Toro of the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section in Thursday's tournament final at 7:30 p.m. The Chargers hammered Mililani, 62-44, in the other semifinal.

Trailing 44-38 with about a minute to play, Moanalua's Keven Amaral was in the process of driving to the hoop when one of the referees granted a timeout to Na Menehune. Obviously, that wasn't the plan Moanalua coach Greg Tacon had in mind.

"I've done this hundreds of times in this situation," Tacon said. "When you're behind and the clock's dwindling down and the referee's coming by and you whisper in his ear, 'Call timeout if we score.' I'm saying that simultaneously as Keven's going up for a layup and he decided to call a timeout.

"On the possession before, I'm whispering in his partner's ear, 'If we hit that shot, give me a timeout.' They usually look at you and (say), 'Gotcha, coach.' No hesitation. Why he did that, I have no idea."

The still fuming Tacon was later rung up with a technical for an audible expletive. Wilson Macleod made his two technical foul shots after Michael Urcia hit the second of two free throws with 21 seconds left that led to the final margin of victory.

"Not that we were going to win," Tacon said. "We just wanted to stay in it and compete. There's no coach who has a clue that will call a timeout when they're behind and their kid's in transition at the rim. Doesn't make sense. I would expect an apology from one of those guys. They have to know they screwed that situation up. They know it."

But the Dolphins make no apologies for battling from a 16-15 halftime deficit to take a 32-31 lead after three quarters with better defensive play, especially in the fourth quarter. Na Menehune managed only two field goals by Dexter Williams, whose 27 points accounted for 71 percent of his team's scoring with the absence of the team's leading scorer Wesley Ambrust, who is injured. But Williams was just 3 of 11 at the line in the fourth quarter after starting off 6 of 8.

"We made some adjustments in the locker room (for the second half)," AOP coach Walter Marciel said. "We came out and played man against Moanalua. They're actually quicker than us. We wanted to see what our team could do against Moanalua."

Kona Makaula led the Dolphins with 20 points, who a 3-pointer to tie the game at 26 in the third quarter and his second with 5:11 in the fourth quarter that widened AOP's lead to 37-32.

Meanwhile, El Toro got 13 points from Fil Perkins and 11 from Ryan Hardy to take down Mililani.

The teams were tied at 12 after one quarter before the Chargers pulled away on on the strength of eight 3-pointers, including three by Ryan Roberts.

Hassan Richardson and Trent McKinney each had nine points for the Trojans, who will play Moanalua for third place at 6 p.m. Thursday.


> AOP-Moanalua game summary and stats
> El Toro-Mililani game summary and stats


NA MENEHUNE HOOPS CLASSIC

CONSOLATION BRACKET

Saint Joseph 44, Wai'anae 41

Roosevelt 59, Kaiser 56 (OT)

Mid-Pacific 46, Punahou II 40

University High 59, Waiakea 43

Waipahu 48, McKinley 46

Kaimuki 50, Maryknoll 44