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Tue, Feb 15, 2022 @ Moanalua

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Mililani

66

Kahuku

56

Final	1	2	3	4
Mililani (13-0, 17-2)	15	26	14	11	66
Kahuku (12-2, 14-4)	13	13	17	13	56

A. Westmoreland-Vendiola 20 pts  2 3pm  4/6 FTs

T. Lieb 27 pts  6 3pm  3/3 FTs

SALT LAKE — Trey Lieb dropped a season-high 27 points and No. 6 Mililani got hot from the perimeter to put away No. 8 Kahuku to win, 66-56 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I semifinals at Moanalua Tuesday.

The Trojans (12-0) nailed 10 3-pointers in the game and advances to the OIA title game to face No. 7 Kailua (13-0) in a clash of unbeaten teams.

"It feels great, this is a big game for us. The job is not finished, that's what Kobe Bryant said. We still have the last one to close out with," Lieb said.

Lieb went 6 of 8 from the perimeter and had key assists down the stretch. J Marxen and Creighton Ofsonka chipped in 11 apiece and Dylan Flanders added eight points on two triples.

Amari Westmoreland-Vendiola led the Red Raiders (11-2) with 20 points and Daniel Kaio contributed a season-high 19 points, was 8 for 12 from the free throw line, and Leonard Ah You added nine, as Kahuku faces Roosevelt (10-4) for third place at Kahuku on Wednesday at 6:30 pm.

Lieb let his first 3-pointer fly and his putback gave the Trojans a 12-6 lead, but Kahuku closed out the quarter on a 7-0 run after Leonard Ah You's shot in the paint. Jayden Kipapa hit a 3-pointer from the right wing to give Mililani a 15-13 edge going into the second quarter.

"Once the first shot went in, I know it was going to be a good game for me. I got to give it to my teammates for getting me open, it's not just me," Lieb said.

The Red Raiders scored the first four points of the quarter but Lieb answered with a triple. Each teams traded baskets until Lieb hit a 3 from the left corner and converted a three-point play and Flanders knocked down a 3 from the top of the arc to make it, 29-21.

"When I make my first shot, I start feeling it. The rim gets a lot bigger for me," Lieb said.

Brock Fonoimoana made a jumper, but Marxen scored the next five points during a 7-0 run. Westmoreland-Vendiola got the Red Raiders within 12, but Lieb was cooking as he hit the team's fourth triple from the left wing before the buzzer for a big, 41-26 going into halftime.

Jackson Mayo scored his only points from the perimeter in the third quarter, but had the task of slowing down the OIA's leading scorer.

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"Jackson is a big help, he's our defensive leader. He guards the best player on the other team. He drives, kicks, and penetrates and he's a nuisance on defense," Lieb said.

Kahuku opened up the third quarter on a 13-3 run and Westmoreland-Vendiola's 3-pointer brought the deficit down to five. Mililani created separation after Lieb dished it to Ofsonka on the baseline and he made the shot as he was fouled.

"As soon they started closing out on my 3-point shot, I would penetrate, they would close out and we were dishing it out to Creighton on the backdoor," Lieb said.

Lieb added a nifty left-handed drive and sank a pair of free throws to put Mililani up by 12 that held up going into the fourth.

"We knew they were going to come out strong in the second half. They came out strong in the first half, but even stronger in the second and we expected it. Basketball is a game of runs so they're going to make their runs, we're going to make our runs," Lieb said.

Lieb hit his sixth 3-pointer of the game and Flanders added three more from the left wing to open the quarter. Ah You split a pair of free throws and Ofsonka converted another assist from Lieb to put the Trojans up by 19, their largest lead of the game midway through the quarter.

Kahuku mounted a comeback as Kaio and Westmoreland-Vendiola combined to shoot 5 of 6 from the free throw line. Kaio put back the miss to bring the Red Raiders within 10 with over a minute remaining.

Flanders and Kipapa missed the front end of one-and-one free throws to extend the lead. Ben Holakeituai drew a fifth foul on Lieb at the 42.6 mark, but could not convert the free throw. Marxen went 2 for 4 at the free throw line in Lieb's absence.

"I fouled out, but I knew my teammates would close it out. We practice situations like this and I have faith in them," Lieb said.

Westmoreland-Vendiola got the game within nine, but could not get any closer as Kipapa hit the final free throw.

Mililani is seeking their first OIA basketball title since 2008.

Kahuku was seeking a return to the title game for the first time since the 2019-2020 season.

Both teams have clinched state tournament berths to the Heide & Cook/HHSAA Division I Boys Basketball Championships starting next week Monday. 

Kapolei and Leilehua will playoff for the final state tournament berth.