HHSAA Girls Basketball
Lunas to face Wildcats after fending off Iolani


  



Thu, Feb 1, 2018 @ McKinley


Final 1 2 3 4  
Iolani (9-4, 19-9) 8 1011736
Lahainaluna (13-0, 21-5) 14 13 8 338
S. Namoa 17 pts  1 3pm  4/4 FTs
K. Okamura 14 pts  4/4 FTs
S. Namoa 10 tot  3 off  7 def
K. Malta 8 tot  3 off  5 def
R. Balagso 2 ast
T. Maeda 2 ast

Second-ranked and third-seeded Lahainaluna held off fourth-ranked Iolani in the final minute, 38-36, in the quarterfinals of the Snapple/HHSAA Division I Girls Basketball State Championships at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium Thursday night.

The Raiders beat the Lunas earlier to start the season back on Nov. 9, 49-45. Susi Namoa, who didn't play in the first meeting, scored a game-high 17 points Thursday night and hauled 10 boards.

"She can play inside and shoot the ball outside. It spread the court for us where we can attack the basket," said Lahainaluna coach Todd Rickard.

With under a minute remaining, Lahainaluna could not convert their free throws to cushion a one-point lead. Keiko Aotaki and Rachael Balagso both missed their first free throws, giving the Raiders life. Iolani turned it over and Braeanna Estabillo split a pair of free throws for a 38-36 lead. Estabillo, who scored 14 points in the first meeting, was held to five points.

"Our plan was to attack the basket at first. But we had turnovers and they were clawing their way back. After that with two minutes, without a timeout, we had to delay and go with that," said Rickard.

The Raiders got the ball back with 14.6 seconds remaining. Tori-Lynn Maeda milked time off the clock and drove left, but could get the layup to fall. Namoa grabbed the rebound, but was called for traveling and Iolani got the ball back on the baseline. Maeda inbounded it to Kellie Okamura, but she could not get the shot off in time.

The Lunas jumped out to an early 10-0 lead in the first quarter. The Raiders got their first points off of Lily Lefotu Wahinekapu's free throw and shot 2 of 16 from the field in the quarter despite finishing on a 8-4 run.

Iolani torched Kahuku on Monday, shooting 50.8 percent from the field but shot 12 of 44 (27.7 percent) against the Lunas.

"Against a team like this, who can shoot 3's and drive, and who's explosive offensively, 10 points is never enough. They feel they can come back. They had shots that didn't fall," said Rickard.

Aotaki sank a pair of triples and Namoa added another to give Lahainaluna their biggest lead, 27-14. Okamura got to the basket as the Raiders trailed, 27-18, going into halftime.

The Raiders managed to bring the game within seven twice in the third quarter, but Namoa converted a three-point play to put the Lunas up, 32-22. Namoa picked up her fourth foul after Shyann Kahalehoe drew a charge and Lahainaluna's bench was whistled for a technical foul for arguing the call. Kahalehoe hit both free throws and Okamura beat the buzzer with a layup to trail, 35-29, going into the fourth.

"That was big," said Rickard, on Namoa's fourth foul. "She's an all-around player for us. We also have to control ourselves on the bench and get ready for tomorrow."

Lahainaluna only scored three points in the fourth quarter. Namoa made a basket under five minutes to go for a 37-31 lead. Iolani cut it to three, 37-34, after Okamura, who scored a team-high 14 points, sank both foul shots with 3:27 left on the clock.

Konawaena's Cherilyn Molina (11) scored a game-high 20 points and nabbed 11 rebounds in leading the Wildcats to a 59-32 victory over Moanalua. Greg Yamamoto | SL    Purchase image

No. 3 KONAWAENA 59, No. 10 MOANALUA 32: The Lunas advance to the semifinals at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center on Friday to take on defending state champion Konawaena, who had to overcome a slow start and outscored Moanalua, 20-4, in the third quarter to win, 59-32.

Cherilyn Molina led all scorers with 20 points and 11 rebounds, Tanniya Uchida added 12 and Caylie Kaupu with nine.

Raven Rosa-Lasco scored a team-high 11 points for Na Menehune, all in the first half.

Iolani faces Moanalua in the consolation bracket at 1 p.m.



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].




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