Konawaena guard Chanelle Molina dribbles down court against Mililani. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Konawaena players celebrate after a come-from-behind win over Mililani in the Division I quarterfinals. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Wed, Feb 6, 2013 @ McKinley

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Mililani

38

Konawaena

40

Final	1	2	3	4
Mililani (12-1, 13-3)	8	13	8	9	38
Konawaena	5	10	9	16	40

C. Molina 18 pts  1 3pm  3/3 FTs

N. Long 12 pts  1 3pm  3/4 FTs

When it desperately needed a score, the Konawaena girls basketball team turned to a pair of freshmen Wednesday night.

Mercedes Victor scored the game-winning basket off an assist from Chanelle Molina with 2.4 seconds remaining to rally the two-time defending state champions to a thrilling 40-38 win over Mililani before 300 fans at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium. With the win, Konawaena improved to 11-0 on the season and advanced into Thursday's semifinal round of the Hawaiian Airlines/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I Girls Basketball State Championships.

Konawaena, the tournament's top seed, will play unseeded Iolani – which defeated fourth-seeded Lahainaluna, 60-39, in a quarterfinal – in a 5 p.m. semifinal at Neal S. Blaisdell Center. Kamehameha will play Hilo in the late semifinal. The winners play Friday for the state title.

Against the Trojans Wednesday night, the Wildcats trailed for nearly the entirety of the game and fell behind by as many as eight points with about seven minutes to play. However, Konawaena went on a 10-3 run to pull within a point with 4:08 remaining and ultimately scored the final six points to edge Mililani.

“In the state tournanment, it's tough games from day one,” Wildcats' coach Bobbie Awa said. “Mililani is a very, very good team, so we knew we were in for a battle, so it was pretty awesome.”

Awa's team avenged a four-point loss to the Trojans back on Nov. 24, when the teams met in a preseason tournament on Maui. It is still the only loss for Konawaena this season.

Nayla Long scored 12 points and Kira Arruda added 10 for Mililani, which has now lost two of its last three games. The Trojans rebounded from a three-point, double-overtime loss to Leilehua in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Division title game with a 22-point win over Kaiser in Tuesday's opening round of the state tournament, but fell out of championship contention with the loss to the Wildcats. Mililani, which has never reached the state semifinals, was hoping to improve upon last year's fifth-place finish.

“It's tough, but you know, that's the name of the game when you're playing in the state tournament,” Trojans' coach Patrick Basilio said. “You want to stay close, you want to have a chance at the end and I thought we gave ourselves a shot, but we just didn't finish down the stretch and the credit goes to Konawaena, their defense stepped up.”

Mililani held a 29-24 lead to start the fourth quarter and extended its lead with Mikaela Limper's 3-pointer from the right wing. However, Courtney Kaupu's first points of the game came on Konawaena's ensuing possession and ignited her team's 10-3 run, which cut the deficit to 35-34.

Mililani briefly stretched its lead back to four at 38-34 following a made basket by Kaylee Torres and one-of-two free throws by Kapili Amamalin. However, it would be the last points the Trojans would score.

Molina drew a foul with 1:36 left and made both free throws to make it a two-point game. Kaupu then stole a Mililani pass and drove the rest of the way for an easy transition lay up to tie it at 38 with about one minute to play. Another Trojan turnover gave the Wildcats possession and following a timeout, Molina drove the lane and attracted several defenders before dishing to an open Victor under the left side of the basket. Victor made the easy basket and Mililani's last-ditch heave was intercepted by Molina to clinch it for Konawaena.

“We had to spread the floor, so I could get an open lane and when I saw that pass open up, I just made it,” said Molina, who had 12 of her game-high 18 points in the first half. “I had faith in my teammate the whole time that she was going to make that basket.”

The Wildcats converted on each of their final three offensive possessions, while the Trojans turned it over on their final three possessions. Victor had eight of her 10 points in the fourth quarter.

“Our girls had to keep their heads in it, we didn't want to take 3s; We wanted to keep going inside, we wanted easy buckets,” said Awa, whose team was called for 16 fouls to Mililani's 12. “The foul count, there's nothing we can do about that. Our girls just need to learn to stay in the game, play smarter. Sometimes, it just the adrenaline and they want to go out there and make something happen. It was a little tough, but the reserves came in, played hard, so credit to the whole team.”

Several Konawaena players were in early foul trouble, none more than Kaupu, who had three fouls by halftime. Kaupu and junior guard Hokulani Liftee, who made two of her team's three treys, finished with four fouls apiece.

However, in their absence, Molina carried her team in its first game on Oahu this season.

“She's a great player.” Awa said of Molina. “We knew what we were going to get when she came up to high school. She's still got a lot to learn about staying composed and I couldn't give her a breather, unfortunately, but she hung in the game and she's willing to take that leadership role and take the ball in her hands. She's a great player, but she's going to be something special.”

Molina, who was making her state-tournament debut, said she had to overcome some nerves early on.

“I was really nervous, because they tried to double-team me,” Molina said. “It was pretty hard. My teammates just picked me up, told me stay focused and we had to finish our layups and play good defense.”

Despite the disappointing loss, Basilio was happy with his team's effort.

“We were right there at the end, it was right there for the taking and just, it bounced their way in the end and it didn't for us,” Basilio said. “That's all you can ask for against the defending state champs.”

The Trojans held a 21-15 lead at halftime.

Mililani will play Lahainaluna in a 1 p.m. consolation game Thursday.

Konawaena, which had a first-round bye, is seeking its sixth state title in school history. The Wildcats have appeared in the state final in each of the past four seasons.