Friday, May 22, 1998

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Baldwin's Tia Medeiros, left, passes the ball past Kalaheo's
Kim Taylor during last night's girls' state basketball semifinal.

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Onaona Miller's heroics send
Punahou into tonight's girls' state
basketball final against Kalaheo

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

Two of the season's most celebrated seniors grabbed the spotlight last night as defending state champion Punahou and red-hot challenger Kalaheo moved into the girls' state basketball final tonight at the Stan Sheriff Center.

Kim Taylor scored 26 points to lead the Mustangs (27-0) to a 58-48 victory over fourth-seeded Maui Interscholastic League champion Baldwin.

But it was Onaona Miller, Punahou's 5-foot-11 Yale-bound center, who provided the evening's high drama in a 55-53 thriller against No. 3 seed and Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Waiakea.

With seven-tenths of a second left, the 1997 all-state selection made a high one-handed grab of a diagonal, court-length, inbounds pass from Estee Okamura. Miller turned and hit an off-balance jumper off the glass to win it at the buzzer.

In the game for only 14 minutes and 36 seconds because of foul trouble, Miller had a point for every minute she played. She also grabbed six rebounds.

The second-seeded Buffanblu (20-3) seek their sixth Hawaii High School Athletic Association girls' basketball title. Top-seeded Kalaheo is favored to win its first.

Miller is the only regular starter back from last year's team.

Last year, Punahou routed Honokaa, 60-37, in Hilo for the state title. Kalaheo lost to Honokaa by two points in the semifinals.

The teams played twice this preseason with the Mustangs winning both rather handily: 60-45 and 62-45.

By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
Kauai's Michelle Romano, right, latches onto
the ball in a consolation game last night.

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Taylor scored 26 and 25 points in those games.

"But our record isn't going to win us this game -- it's what we do on the court," she said.

"It'll come down to being able to handle each other's pressure," Punahou head coach Shelley Fey said of tonight's matchup.

"I think if you handle their pressure and break them down, you're in good shape," Kalaheo head coach Chico Furtado said. "Miller, you have to D her up. She's a good enough player to hit wide open shots, but with someone in her face -- we'll see."

Punahou 55, Waiakea 53: "It was a perfect pass, and I turned around and blocked everything else out of my mind," said Miller, recalling the game-winning play. "I thought, 'Just like practice, just like practice.' "

Fey called it "a beautiful shot."

"It required tremendous focus on Onaona's part," she said.

Alyson Martin's 3-pointer gave Waiakea a 53-50 lead with 1:09 left. But Miller nailed a tying trey 16 seconds later.

Waiakea had the last possession, but Gayna Nakajo dove to the floor to secure a loose ball for Punahou with eight-tenths of a second left.

That set the stage for Miller's heroics.

Waiakea threatened to pull away from Punahou after Miller got her third foul in the second quarter, and led by as much as 24-11.

Punahou entered the third quarter trailing, 30-21. But Miller, playing only 2:46 before picking up her fourth foul, scored eight points and grabbed two rebounds to spark a 10-2 Buffanblu run.

Waiakea		16	14	9	14--53
Punahou		7	14	18	16--55

Waiakea: Mona Amisone 14, Alyson Martin 5, Chana Ichinotsubo 2, Shannessy Mitchell 0, Mary Pedro 9, Tiffany Chang 2, Tiffany Lee-Read 0, Jonee Carvalho 8, Sheila Azevedo 7, Sarah Kaaiakamanu 0, Casey Remmers 6.

Punahou: Christen Zoccolante 2, Hilary Arakaki 0, Candice Usita 8, Adrienne Hamlin 0, Gayna Nakajo 8, Malia Durand 4, Jennifer Androus 0, Chanel Kealoha 0, Susan Wherry 0, Milia Macfarlane 14, Mia Moe 2, Wendy Takeguchi 0, Estee Okamura 3, Jyoti Mau 0, Onaona Miller 4, Lauren Yamada 0.

Kalaheo 58, Baldwin 48: Taylor had 16 points in the first half, but Baldwin hung with the Mustangs and the game was tied at the half, 39-39.

Aloha Santiago, a 6-1 senior who last weekend won the shot put and discus titles at the state track and field championships, scored eight of her 13 points to lead the Bears in the first 16 minutes.

But Taylor scored seven in the third quarter as Kalaheo pulled away. She also had five rebounds, four steals and three blocks playing the low post against Santiago and 6-6 center Diona Hussey.

"When it's crunch time for this team, I'm going to be there," Taylor said. "I'm only 5-9, but I'm going to play like 6 feet when I have to."

Baldwin		12	14	7	15--48
Kalaheo		12	19	15	12--58

Baldwin: Mandy Oania 4, Melanie Marumoto 4, Tiffiny Saito 9, Denise DeMello 0, Tia Medeiros 2, Nicole Garbin 4, Charito Richardson 0, Aloha Santiago 13, Kim Peroff 4, Diona Hussey 8.

Kalaheo: Liz Trexler 8, Brandy Richardson 11, Jen Conner 2, Sharon Wahinekapu 4, Irie Richards 1, Steph Redman 6, Kim Taylor 26, Sherrine Kanahele 0, Contina Kemp 0.

Lahainaluna 80, Nanakuli 58: Lisa Arcangel scored 32 points to lead the Lunas.

Lahainaluna	16	25	10	29--80
Nanakuli	9	18	14	17--58

Lahainaluna: Melanie Facuri-Juario 2, Marie Tuua 0, Kalei Robia 0, Arlet Okimoto 8, Ha'aheo Kahoohalahala 0, Lisa Arcangel 32, Twyla Kakahiko 9, Sionna Stallings-Alaialima 10, Shannon T'i 0, Aina Kohler 19.

Nanakuli: Shyla Ulangca 2, Gianna Beck 1, Kelly Lum Ho 12, Frances Ako 8, Kori Montez 18, Kari Robles 5, Lahela Romena 0, Georgette Naone 0, Shaela Lew 5, Rhonda Naki 4, Summer Victor 1, Leeshaun Kapua'ala 2, Brianna Young 0.

Maryknoll 53, Konawaena 43: Maryknoll outscored Konawaena, 15-1, in the fourth quarter to rally for the victory.

Maryknoll	13	12	13	15--53
Konawaena	9	19	14	1--43

Maryknoll: Kainoa Filawolsky 0, Elizabeth Kam 2, Denby Fukuda 2, Genesis Vincent 1, Mailani Maikainai 2, Clayreen Song 5, Michelle Gabriel 9, Kim Washington 11, Kelly O'Brien 3, Nabosa Basse 18.

Konawaena: Tiana Martines-Alcain 5, Kim Shiraishi 10, Chelsea Benton 0, Meris Ota 0, Mi-Suk Lee 12, Napua Kamoku 6, Enjolii Izumi-Baltero 10, Nikki Lane 0, Hana Toko 0, Diane Switaj 0, Kahea Cahill-Ramirez 9.

McKinley 52, Kauai 40: Amber Ehia scored 13 to lead the Tigers in a consolation game.

McKinley	9	20	4	19--52
Kauai		7	2	12	19--40

McKinley: Lawrelean Soriano 0, Dee Ann Flores 0, Patricia Ishiki 6, Marlie Queja 5, Teri Lynn Madrona 2, Amber Ehia 13, Young-Sil Yang 5, Carlata Nepo 4, Anela Kimoto 10, Sene Folaumahina 7.

Kauai: Cliflynn Gonzalves 0, Jill Dobashi 3, Valerie Naea 4, Trisha Ramos 8, Leslie Koga 1, Denise Kodani 5, Alisa Racelo 0, Alisa Iloreta 19, Michelle Romano 0.