Mililani's Kapili Amamalin goes up for a layup attempt against Aiea. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Aiea' Mich'lae Higa drives the basketball Mikayla Limper. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Mililani's Nayla Long grabs a rebound against Aiea. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Sat, Jan 12, 2013 @ Mililani

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Aiea

28

Mililani

64

Final	1	2	3	4
Aiea (6-6, 6-6)	2	9	12	5	28
Mililani (12-1, 13-3)	17	14	17	16	64

N. Long 23 pts  3/4 FTs

P. Beltran 12 pts  2/7 FTs

MILILANI-Nayla Long scored a game-high 23 points and host Mililani overwhelmed 'Aiea, 64-28, to clinch at least a tie for the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West title Saturday night.

The Trojans (9-0) can win the division crown outright with a win at Waipahu on Tuesday. They did, however, clinch the West's top seed for the 12-team Red tournament, which begins Jan. 22. The top two seeds from each division draw first-round byes so the Trojans will host a quarterfinal on Jan. 23. Leilehua (8-1) is the Red West's second seed.

Na Alii (6-3) has clinched West's top seed for the six-team White tournament, which starts Jan. 23. 'Aiea also has an opening-round bye and will host a semifinal Jan. 25.

It was senior night for the Trojans and Long was among three seniors scoring in double digits. Kira Arruda had 15 points on five 3-pointers and Kaylee Torres added 10 to lead the Trojans' assault. Arruda has boosted her Division 1-leading total with 23 3-point goals.

"I love my team," said Long, who has signed with Charleston Southern. "We work hard together."

Na Alii entered the contest having beaten four other Red West teams. But they were not ready for the Trojans, who stormed to a 17-2 lead after the first quarter.

"We came out with a high intensity that we try to get them out of the gate," Mililani coach Patrick Basilio said. "I don't like coming out in a slow pace. We were able to work our style of basketball, at least in the beginning."

Basilio praised his senior class for their understanding the task at hand.

"The past few years, the seniors were just happy to get in the playoffs," Basilio said. "These girls really wanted to make a run in the playoffs. So they get it. They really won't celebrate any of the wins. They're trying to look for the end goal."

'Aiea's best effort came in the third period when it scored 12 points. Pumehana Beltran scored nine of her team-high 12 points in that period.

Still, it wasn't enough, as the Trojans were able to clear their bench.

Unlike the past seasons, the OIA tournaments are back to single elimination. First-round losers are eliminated from the tournament. Quarterfinal losers fall to the consolation bracket.