Kalaheo's Jayla Tamashiro puts up a layup against Kailua. Evan Asato | SL

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Kailua's Patria Vaimaona drives to the basket for a layup. Evan Asato | SL

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Kalaheo's Gabby Clark sinks a jump shot to score two of her eight points of the night. Evan Asato | SL

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Kalaheo players and coaches celebrate winning the 2013 OIA White Division Championship. Evan Asato | SL

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Thu, Jan 31, 2013 @ Waipahu

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Kailua

51

Kalaheo

59

Final	1	2	3	4
Kailua (5-6, 10-8)	15	4	14	18	51
Kalaheo (8-6, 8-8)	7	19	18	15	59

• Points
• Rebounds
• Assists

J. Tamashiro 30 pts  5 3pm  5/6 FTs

P. Vaimaona 16 pts  6/8 FTs

G. Clark 4 tot

P. Vaimaona 8 tot

T. Takata 4 ast

B. Kassebeer 4 ast

Kalaheo's Jayla Tamashiro lived up to the #1 on her uniform by scoring 30 points to propel the Mustangs to a 59-51 victory over Kailua and earn the OIA White Division championship at Waipahu.

With the OC16 cameras rolling, Tamashiro delivered an Emmy-worthy performance, helping Kalaheo to overcome a 9-point first quarter deficit with four first half 3-pointers and douse a fourth quarter Kailua rally with key steals and baskets. By the end, the boisterous Mustang fans were chanting MVP.

Tamashiro, who entered the game with a 10.5 average and whose previous high was 16 points against Kahuku, had that many at halftime and finished with five 3-pointers, 4 steals, 2 assists and 4 rebounds.

"I was very nervous at the start, feeling the pressure of being a team leader. I practice 3-point shots all the time and tonight they finally landed." said Tamashiro who had made 16 from beyond the arc in 13 previous OIA White games.

Kailua broke Kalaheo's press in the opening quarter for easy layups to get their biggest lead 13-4 with 1:26 left.. The Surfriders were up 15-7 at the end of the quarter, but went without a field goal in the second quarter and fell behind for good 20-18 when Tamashiro nailed her third three pointer with 3:32 left in the half.

""We were nervous and just had to settle down." said Kalaheo coach Neil Bowers. "We didn't do anything different. We ran the same offense, but we had to stop those easy layups."

Kalaheo did so and forced seven Kailua turnovers in the first four minutes of the second half. The Mustangs gradually pulled away. leading by as many as 14, 37-23 when Tara Takata stole the ball, was fouled and completed a 3-point play with 4:22 left in the third quarter. Takata had 6 steals and 4 assists.

The Mustangs seemed to be cruising with a 46-33 early in the fourth quarter, but twice Kailua clawed back within five points in the final four and a half minutes only to see Tamashiro respond with clutch points. Up just 46-41, Tamashiro drove the length of the floor for a layup. After the Surfriders cut the lead to 48-43, Tamashiro made a pair of free throws and the Mustangs scored the next six points to put the game out of reach.

Said Bowers about Tamashiro, "It was her career best. She was nervous, but she carried us. She is our energizer bunny."

Kailua had three players in double figures, Patria Vaimaona with 16, Delcie Williams with 12 and Kahoa Mikaele with 10. Each had 8 rebounds.

For Kalaheo, the win avenged a regular seaaon 51-49 loss to Kailua. "It was the complete opposite. In that game they came from way behind and beat us." said Bowers

With overtime wins in the OIA White semi-finals, both teams had already qualified for next week's Division II State Tournament,
but the win earns the Mustangs a first round bye. Kalaheo has had four state runner-up finishes, the last in 2001.