RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Kalani's Raynani Camara blocked a shot attempt by Kamehameha-Hawaii's Lisa Yang last night.

Kamehameha-Hawaii,
Saint Francis in final

For the Saint Francis basketball team, a mile isn't just a mile. It's closer to 2. And that's a big reason why the Troubadours are playing for a state championship tonight.

Junior center Siutiti Takai scored 28 points and collected 17 rebounds yesterday, as Saint Francis pounded Seabury Hall 69-42 in the first Division II semifinal of the Hawaiian Airlines Girls Basketball State Championships.

The Troubadours (16-6) meet Kamehameha-Hawaii (21-5) in today's 6 p.m. title game. The Warriors had few problems with Kalani, pasting the Falcons 67-34. Seabury Hall (16-4) and Kalani (20-6) were scheduled to meet in an 11 a.m. third-place game.

A gathering of around 50 watched the matinees yesterday at the Stan Sheriff Center. It wasn't as lonely as the Troubs' conditioning regimen, during which the 5-foot-10 Takai and her teammates negotiated what coach Paul Tanaka calls the "Saint Francis Mile."

"It's really about a mile-and-three-quarters," Tanaka said.

"A little bit more. And there's hills," Takai said.

Takai was in no shape for such a venture back in January, when the Troubs started preparing for the season. By the last test, she was completing the course in 13 minutes.

"At first, I was 'What is he thinking?' I wasn't in condition," she said. "Later on it helped me be able to stay in games."

In her 22 minutes on the court yesterday, Takai didn't win any sprints up and down the court. But she always got herself into position on the low post on offense and defense to make the plays -- especially in the second quarter, when she scored 15 points and grabbed eight boards.

Seabury coach Philip Tongg ordered his players to front Takai on defense to try to deny her the ball. It was a good idea, but it didn't work because the Saint Francis guards had seen it before and are adept at finding their big woman, whatever obstacles might be in the way.

"We forced the lob," Tongg said. "The problem is they did it very well."

Said Tanaka: "Guards like to bounce-pass, drive-and-dish. So from Day 1 we worked on the lob, and they learned to use it to our advantage."

Kanani Perry and Tiyana Fao added nine points each for the Troubs and Nicole Perry pitched in eight.

The young but athletic Spartans hurt themselves with 25 turnovers. Yacine Meyer led Seabury with 15 points.

Kamehameha-Hawaii also blitzed to a quick lead, and with a 41-15 margin, the issue was settled at halftime.

"I feel like an expectant father," Kamehameha-Hawaii athletic director Bob Wagner said as he watched the team win its first state tournament game -- without a senior class; the campus is in its third year of existence.

Coach Kimo Miller said his 2004 team, then freshmen and sophomores, thought they should've been here, for the first Division II state tournament. But St. Joseph beat them in the BIIF Division II championship game.

The Warriors bounced back by beating Punahou early this year.

"It helped from the beginning of the season. They were very disappointed the way last season ended," Miller said. "It carried over from last year. Then when they beat Punahou they could believe in themselves again."

DIVISION II
Saint Francis 69, Seabury Hall 42

At Stan Sheriff Center

Seabury Hall (16-4)	8	9	13		12--42
Saint Francis (16-6)	15	18	18		18--69

SEABURY HALL--Anuhea Rilveria 2, Yacine Meyer 15, Grace Paul 9, Tiana Barbier 2, Heather Colvin 0, Meryn MacDougall 0, Emma Burns 3, Talia Anama 0, Chelsea Kikuchi 7, Korena Burgio 4.
SAINT FRANCIS--Kanani Perry 9, Danielle Tanaka 0, Bryanna Batts 2, Tiyana Fao 9, Siutiti Takai 28, Melissa Allen 2, Nicole Perry 8, Tesia Ahai 5, Maile Kimura 2, Emma Dacalio-Spencer 2, Jamie Iwashita 2.
3-point goals -- Seabury Hall 2 (Burns, Kikuchi), Saint Francis 1 (N. Perry).

Kamehemeha-Hawaii 67, Kalani 34

At Stan Sheriff Center

Kalani (20-6)	12	3	4		15--34
Kam.-Hawaii (21-5)	17	24	16		10--67

KALANI--Brandi Yamauchi 1, Raynani Kamara 1, Kim Cabuyadao 4, Megan Kamehiro 6, Richline Gabres-Batoon 2, Chloe Martin 8, Kerri Chikamori 0, Yasmina Taketa 0, Chelsea Kimura 1, Nicole Isemoto 6, Kacie Gushiken 0, Liandra Bonifacio 2, Alisha Bonifacio 2, Chaude Bonifacio 1.
KAMEHAMEHA-HAWAII--Leilani Galdones 16, Kapua Kekuewa 6, Sierra Gacayan 3, Jamie Mattos 15, Lisa Yang 5, Amber Spencer 0, Wikolia Enos 0, Hannah Van De Car 3, Dancyne Kama 6, Carissima Naki 6, Kamaile Allen 7.
3-point goals -- Kalani 3 (Martin 2, Isemoto), Kamehameha-Hawaii 9 (Galdones 3, Naki 2, Gacayan, Mattos, Yang, Van De Car).

CONSOLATION BRACKET
Lahainaluna 52, Roosevelt 48

At Stan Sheriff Center

Lahainaluna (9-1)	11	13	14	14	--	52
Roosevelt (8-11)	12	11	9	16	--	48

LAHAINALUNA--Tasha Pagdilao 5, Kelci Fushikoshi 15, Jessica Maielua 2, Monique Blando 17, Alise Hatch 11, Tekira Rickard 0, Tahni Domingo 0, Yasnaya Perez 2, Casey Bartolome 0, Mapu Pali 0.
ROOSEVELT--Dianna Zane 0, Tati Beasley 3, Larisa Nakasone 0, Nicole Yoshimoto 8, Shannon Miyashiro 27, Chelsie Kadota 5, Dasha Kawakami 1, Melanie Nakatani 4, Noelle Kawelo 0, Kayleen Kaaiai 0.
3-point goals -- Lahainaluna 5 (Hatch 3, Pagdilao, Fushikoshi), Roosevelt 1 (Yoshimoto).

Iolani 65, Kalaheo 48

At Stan Sheriff Center

Iolani (11-4)	13	21	16	15	--	65
Kalaheo (14-4)	6	21	7	14	--	48

IOLANI--Hennasea-Sue Tokumura 15, Marci Kang 0, Alana Wall 9, Meilin Akamu 5, Keilyn Fujioka 8, Kaz Masutani 0, Chelsea Unemori 3, Alana Matayoshi 2, Chanel Hirata 8, Jamie Smith 9, Sarah Turgeon 6.
KALAHEO--Hoku Kaiu-Denning 0, Shaina Siliga 7, Shanadee Canon 9, Taylor Smith 12, Kaliko Kepa 3, Randi Farstad 0, Lohi Aweau 0, Kaila Samson 0, Brianne Villarosa 2, Katie Lintz 2, Kendra Fischer 6, Kathleen Hicks 7.
3-point goals -- Iolani 5 (Tokumura 3, Akamu, Turgeon), Kalaheo 2 (Fischer 2).