[ HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ]
The defending state champion Iolani Raiders advanced to their third straight state final by dispatching the Kamehameha Warriors 53-48 last night in the Hawaiian Airlines Boys State Basketball Championships. Iolani reaches third
straight state title gameBy Nick Abramo
nabramo@starbulletin.comIolani's Derrick Low, who scored 13 of his 20 points in the first half, took matters into his own hands with 3:11 left. The Raiders (16-0) were leading 44-37, but unable to fully shake off doggedly determined Kamehameha (14-5), an Interscholastic League of Honolulu foe they beat three times previously.
With Iolani in a stall, all of a sudden Low switched to overdrive and charged through the lane. But it was no ordinary drive. This time, the 6-foot-1 Low leaped high and floated down with a totally unexpected dunk. He pumped his chest and let out a scream as the Blaisdell Arena crowd of 3,550 cheered in amazement.
"I saw the wide open lane and I didn't hesitate," Low said. "I knew it was going to excite the crowd and my team, but the bad thing is it got us too excited. The good thing is Doc (coach Mark Mugiishi) called a time out to settle us down. He said we were in disarray."
Still, Kamehameha didn't die easy. Aaron Kahaloa's 3-pointer cut the gap to 49-44 with 47 seconds left. After a time out, Kahaloa stole Iolani's in-bounds pass and nearly layed one in. Instead, he was fouled and hit one shot to make it 49-45.
Iolani wrapped it up at the line as Ryan Hirata hit four down the stretch for the victory.
"We're disappointed," Kamehameha coach Darryl Gabriel said. "We came here with the idea of going further. It's hard to lose four times to the same team. They're just a better team than us."
Mugiishi knows the Raiders have their hands full.
"It was a great game and it wasn't decided until the horn sounded," he said. "We weren't shooting well tonight. Our only good shots were at the line and layups. It should be another great one against St. Louis. It's going to depend on whether we can board. If St. Louis dominates the boards it's going to be a long night."
Kamehameha (14-5) 12 6 14 16 -- 48 Iolani (16-0) 18 7 14 14 -- 53 Kamehameha -- Waika Spencer 7, William Melemai 4, Eric Shaver 18, Caleb Spencer 9, Aaron Kahaloa 10, Galen Santana 0, Radford Hepa 0.
Iolani -- Bobby Nash 13, Todd Blankenship 4, Derrick Low 20, Ryan Hirata 9, Kyle Pape 7, Vincent Nip 0, Jon Yasuda 0, Zach Tollefson 0, Sean Carney 0.
3-point goals: Kamehameha 5 (Kahaloa 3, Shaver 2), Iolani 2 (Nash, Hirata).
KALAHEO 62, BALDWIN 42
Sam Wilhoite scored 14 of his 25 points in the first half as the Oahu Interscholastic Association champion Mustangs (12-4) bounced back from their tough loss to Kamehameha on Thursday by sprinting out to a 33-13 halftime lead and coasting to a victory over the Bears (11-6).
Wilhoite added five rebounds, while Theodore Fujita-Lukachyk contributed four to go with his seven points.
Trenson Himalaya pulled in eight rebounds for the Maui Interscholastic League runner-up Bears.
Kalaheo (12-4) 20 13 13 16 -- 62 Baldwin (11-6) 5 8 14 15 -- 42 Baldwin -- Matt Heyd 2, Cody Tesoro 2, Nick Heyd 6, Akamu Aki 7, Cody Nakamura 3, Donnie Dadiz 7, Jordan Kamikawa 2, Sherwin Mina 0, Trenson Himalaya 4, Roy Antolin 0 Rodney Kekahuna 6, Scott Lafey 3.
Kalaheo -- Aaron Luis 2, Christopher Tumaneng 2, Matthew Nakashima 4, Nicholas Heldreth 0, Theodore Fujita-Lukachyk 7, Nate Shields 2, William Elliot 0, Neil Bowers 5, Joshua Perry 6, David Moore 1, Jeremy Neufeldt 4, Ryan Belles 4, Sam Wilhoite 25.
3-point goals: Baldwin 3 (Aki, Dadiz, Lafey), Kalaheo 3 (Nakashima, Fujita-Lukachyk, Bowers).
WAIMEA 54, KAIMUKI 53
On the hot shooting of Jordon Dizon, the Kauai Interscholastic Federation champion Menehunes (9-1) upset the OIA second-place Bulldogs (11-4) in the consolation semifinals.
Dizon scored 12 of his 21 points in the second half and was nine of 16 from the field. Lanikai Kanahele pulled in six rebounds for the Menehunes, while Desmond Rodrigues chipped in with 11 points and five boards.
Kaimuki's Daniel Tautofi scored 15 of his game-high 25 points in the second half to keep the Bulldogs close. Teammate Isaiah Ano hauled in eight caroms.
Waimea plays Waiakea (10-5) in the consolation final today at 3.
Waimea (9-1) 13 16 8 17 -- 54 Kaimuki (11-4) 17 7 11 18 -- 53 Waimea -- Jeremy Manuel 3, Jay Parinas 0, Blaine Camden 0, Mark Andres 3, Alan Manuel 2, Joshua Vinzant 5, Jordon Dizon 21, Desmond Rodrigues 11, Casey Kaohelaulii 6, Akeem Allen 0, Lanikai Kanahele 3.
Kaimuki -- Davey Nguyen 0, Richy Miyasaka 2, Daniel Tautofi 25, Isaiah Ano 4, Jimmy Miyasaka 12, Jon Torres 2, Nick Milan 8.
3-point goals: Waimea 5 (Kaohelaulii 2, Andres, Vinzant, J. Manuel), Kaimuki 3 (Tautofi 3).
LEILEHUA 44, KEAAU 41
Zacarias Rivera scored 10 of his 11 points in the second half as the Mules (13-3) got back on the winning track after their quarterfinal loss to Maui on Thursday.
Antonio Carter scored eight points and added six rebounds for Leilehua.
Aukai Wong and Josh Cabreros led the Big Island champion Cougars (13-2) with eight rebounds apiece. Wong also scored 11 points.
The Mules face Kalaheo today at 4:30 in the fifth-place game.
Keaau (13-2) 8 7 15 11 -- 41 Leilehua (13-3) 8 12 12 12 -- 44 Keaau -- Jordan Dean 0, Rolan Benevides 8, Kai Calip 5, Sunny Amisone 6, Matt Cadaoas 1, Ikaika Leslie 0, Jordan Cabreros 2, Paul Rapoza 0, Josh Cabreros 6, Ken Harris 2, Eric Ulep 0, Aukai Wong 11.
Leilehua -- Andrew Talaeai 6, Demetrius Washington 5, Tyrell Couch 0, Angelo Massey 8, Antonio Carter 8, Zacarias Rivera 11, Anthony Hall 6, Angel Fontanez 0, Jonathan Scruggs 0.
3-point goals: Keaau 3 (Benevides 2, Wong), Leilehua 2 (Washington, Massey).
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